Star Wars CLOSED Star Wars: Episode X: DUEL OF THE FATES ~ 2021 Best RPG ~

Combo with our GM @Sinrebirth

IC: Eleanor Magnus
Fighting, Courscant

Eleanor yelled as her eardrum popped, and then as she was hit in the nose. It didn't take long for Eleanor to feel blood coming down her face, and the silence of one of her ears making the sounds of the battle mis-matched. She rose to her feet, stumbling and glared at Mirta. "Cheap shot." She told her quickly, and then dove at Mirta; grabbing her arms and hooking her leg around hers in an attempt to throw her off balance-

Mirta tried to step back and not topple; failed, and turned it into a backwards throw, grabbing Eleanor as they went and hurling her weight over so she could propel the woman -

Eleanor pushed back against Mirta, and turned her body against her, bringing up her knee to connect with her stomach-

Mirta made a noise as if winded, then fired her jet pack and aimed her knee for Eleanor’s chin -

Eleanor recoiled back as her knee hit her in the chin, and bit her lip. But she still held onto Mirta's legs as she fired up her jetpack in a rough grip.

She reached up and grabbed Mirta's belt, before punching her again; this time in the side of the ribs-

Mirta cried out and went off-course, rebounding off the Walker besides them and slamming to the ground. She kicked Eleanor off her legs, trying to get to her feet before Eleanor could -

Mirta pointed her arm at Eleanor, and a whipchord emerged from her bracer -

Eleanor gritted her teeth as Mirta threw her off and rolled across the ground, feeling a sense of danger Mirta launched a whip cord at her. Eleanor threw herself out of the way, raising her hand to block-

It ensnared her hand, wrapping around it, and Mirta grinned, sending an electrical charge up it -

Eleanor yelled in pain and drew on the force to fight back. She pulled her hand hard in an attempt to pull Mirta towards her so she could grab her with her other hand-

Mirta was surprised Eleanor could stand, but Jedi fortitude was a thing and she always underestimated it - with Jaina, with Ben, with Luke, with Leia - and she stumbled forward into her, releasing the electrical surge -

Eleanor grabbed Mirta around the middle and brought her to the ground, hitting her in the stomach again and grabbing her by the arms to pin her down. "Mirta listen to me! We can't keep fighting each other like this. You're being tricked by that Sith friend you have."

“I know all about ‘Savara Raine’,” Mirta spat. “But what do I have to give? Mandalore is ruined, and your family were silent as we were eroded! Made weak!”

She struggled against Eleanor, but her efforts were weakening, as if she was fighting with only half her heart and will, but any further revelation was interrupted by Finn screaming.

“INCOMING!”

"You have everything to give Mirta." Eleanor told her. "I need people like you to help rebuild Mandalore. I know my family hasn't been the most vocal, but you and I...we are not our parents. We're our own people who can help make things better. I need you to trust me."

Eleanor felt the danger before Finn screamed and grabbed Mirta, shielding her from whatever was coming there way, trying to lessen the impact with the force.

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Tirran Huxley
Besides Noma, still Orbiting Bonadan

“Well that was entertaining,” Nomi said drily. “So what now? You’re a loose end, unless that show hasn’t convinced you that both your ‘buyers’ are insane.”

Setting the ships nav computer he let it run calculations and move the ship in preperation to leap to hyperspace. Silence was a deadly state of being. Especially when one had been privy to secrets.

There was a tweak to their surroundings, and Nomi turned suddenly. “Hmmm. I’m fairly limited right now, being dead and all, but there’s definitely something going on. A current that’s being twisted, and it’s not us doing it... I suspect you’re about to wear out your welcome.”

Sure enough, the First Order medallion in his possession belated a sound, and erased itself.

"Huh, always thought that was a myth." Tirran chortled with a laugh. It was now another tool he could sell. Undoubtedly there were forgers in the galaxy that could make use of such a thing. His aspirations were high enough that this was merely a set back, but a set back of the loss of an unexpected gain was not much of one at all.

“Hope you banked somewhere secure, or I bet you’ll check your funds and make a noise pretty similar to that just did.” Nomi was teasing, and it was just as similarly unclear why she persisted in hanging around with him.

"I did. Always, my funds are always diversified and scattered to the eight arms of the galaxy. Bound in things with names and tags and passwords Emperors and Assassins cannot approach. At least I expect I have lost my public accounts, those will see my shop fronts have to deal in direct ingots and credits for a time and cash the coffers hidden inside to keep running." he stated with a shrug of his exo-suits body as he rolled his eyes. Talking to a ghost was interesting and for some reason was making him chatty.

There was a message, an affirmation from the Whiphid of a time and place, it was in two days, for a variety of reasons, including harvest. Some agricultural statistics were appended and they were actually quite impressive. A secret technique that yielded much better results, that he would not discuss over comms. It might be good to go rural for a time. Let these times and things pass in obscurity for a little while and let his spies and money work for him instead of the other way around for a short while.

Wavett, Arkinnea or as ever Coruscant.

Coruscant was off limits, to go there was to court death. He could no more do so than holiday on Canto Bite at the moment. He typed up a reply to the vocal interested party.

A.G.

Ingots talk and due to your unsecured add comm listing - if it was indeed your add I was replying to - has cost me dearly. I am now unable to return to my center of business on Coruscant, and my travel Medallion has been decommissioned.

So I propose a simple price. On top of what funds you would normally think worth such an investment item, include also a secure Admirals Medallion - one that cannot be erased if such exist -, and a consignment of the most advanced war, protocol, survey, and guardian droids the galaxy has to offer. Bring said items to Zirulast orbital station Cresh, a place where salvage is dignified and trades sacred.

I have other deals to tend to, meet there either within the next two days - or await when next I feel safe to communicate a new trade given the other interested does not cool and respect the trades once more.

~Song Seller~
Tirran Huxley ​

With that his ship would leap to hyperspace, heading to the new destination. A world and species barely accepted but always recognized for the true scavengers they were.

TAG: @HanSolo29 , @Sinrebirth

 

Rhoen Aquilla
In Tranisit

Rhoen sat in the lounge deathly quiet as he watched Val play with the dejarik table. He found himself just so tired. Not physically, but emotionally. It'd been a rough day, if that. Between his wife running off, being forced to flee, coming close to getting captured at Corellia, jumping to a random planet in the outer rim, only to have a knock down drag out with his wife, and now being shuttled to the flag ship of the Resistance, one again. He could still remember how he got into the Resistance during the last war. He was approached by Wedge Antilles himself soon after the fall of Hosnian Prime, and the loss of his mother there. He was a much different man back then, hardly even a man. Still a child with stars in his eyes of fighting against an Empire.

Too much had happened between then and now, that shine that was once in his eyes was now replaced by a sort of grim darkness. The look of a man willing to do anything to preserve what was precious to him. One of those things was seated at a table trying to figure out how it worked.

"You know I used to play this game against your grandfather." He said slipping into the chair across from his daughter. "And he beat me every time." It would do him no good to keep stewing on everything that had happened. He couldn't change it, and his anger was spent. All that was left was to get through this, and hopefully keep his family alive.

He showed his daughter how to setup the board, how the pieces moved, once she was comfortable they played a game. One Rhoen won handily, then another, and another. Each time Val was put away in five moves.

"Grrrrr…" The girl crinkled her nose and crossed her arms after the four time she lost. "This game is stupid."

"It's not stupid, it's actually smart." He looked over the board as it reset again. "You have to watch, watch what I'm doing." He made his first move, Val followed up, and Rhoen moved after that. "You remember how this piece moves?" She nodded her head. "And this piece?" She nodded her head again. "You see where they will intersect?" A slow nod of understanding. "You can't just think about your next move. Have to think ahead." Taking in the board again she moved a single piece right in the way of another, a slight smirk grew on Rhoen's face. She was picking it up. She'd figure it out, eventually.

After some snacks for Val and himself, he'd calmed down. He couldn't change this fate, he was going to war, he might as well accept it. Didn't mean he had to like it, or be happy about it. It showed in his eyes.

-----

When they arrived at the rendezvous point he looked out the viewport seeing the ragtag fleet that was brought together. It brought back a lot of memories. No standardization, using whatever they could get their hands on. His eyes fell on the red Star Destroyer the 'Errant Venture' That was where Val would be hidden away on during the war. A single Star Destroyer out in the black would be hard to find. Though if anyone did, it could defend itself, long enough to get out. While he might not fully trust Booster Terrik. He was a father himself and would protect the kids.

It pained him to have to let her go, but it was the best thing for her. She couldn't stick around on a flagship in the middle of a war. This was the best thing for her. He just had to keep telling himself that.

They came in for a landing and as the ramp lowered Rhoen could feel himself transported back to the first time he stepped on this deck. Seeing rows and rows of X-Wings held memories of walking onto the deck and finding his own craft.

With his bag over his shoulder he found his wife getting down from the X-Wing that carried her here. She crouched down to give Val one last hug she looked up to him.

"Anything last minute to sort?" she asked.

"No." He shook his head, his tone cold. "We're in it now. The only way out is through." He was almost despondent, his voice distant from his wife.

"Alright Val." He crouched down and wrapped his arms around her. "Be good, mommy and daddy will be home soon." He hoped he wasn't lying, that this war, or at least their war, would be over soon.

With that he let her go looking to Syal with that cold determination in his eyes. There was nothing left to say. Syal was done saying sorry, and there was nothing he could do to change her mind. They were here now, fighter pilots going up against one of the most powerful militaries the galaxy had ever seen with a handful of snubfighters and cruisers.

So, standard rebellion…

When the alarms rang out Rhoen moved to the locker room, his bag in hand. He still had his flaightsuit in there. His helmet was stashed away in the X-Wing's storage compartment. As he changed his mind went back to a memory, one of him and Syal in a pile on the floor holding each other. Again all he could do was shake his head. It was only a memory, he had to focus on the here and now…

In no time he walked onto the deck in his orange flightsuit, his long hair pulled up into a small low tail. Syal shoved his helmet into his chest with more force than he was expecting.

"Maybe they have an Aleph you can fly." He grumbled heading towards whatever fighter he was directed to. Still some rough edges but at least they were together…

At least that.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

OOC: Combo with @Sinrebirth

IC: Barriss Sunrider

For a moment, Barriss panicked. The missiles, the shockwaves, and the fire coming from all sides brought back memories from the Battle of Drongar. Surrounded by the dead and the dying, Barriss honestly didn't know if she would survive this battle. Or if anyone would survive this.

But then Barriss remembered that didn't matter. She had joined this battle without a guarantee that it could be won. So Barriss focused. Not on her lightsabers. Not even on the missing Savara Raine. Instead, she used the Force to grab onto debris and use them to shield as many Resistance fighters as she could from the First Order assault. She focused on protecting others and giving them cover, which would buy them at least a little more time.

And more than anything else, she wanted to offer them hope despite the odds against them.

She might still fail, but Barriss had already made peace with that. In the end, she had still tried.

The blaster fire was so intense it peppered the debris and chewed through it. It wasn't yet gone, but it wouldn't last. Finn and Rafe were under her umbrella, taking potshots and knocking back Brutetroopers.

"Karking' mercs," swore Rafe.

"We can still do this! Rose is still out there."

Dade threw himself away from an explosion, the youngster skidding to the floor and landing among them. "Ouch," he said, as he backhanded a drip of blood from his skinned chin. "Do we have a plan, Master Jedi?"

Finn eyed Barriss. This was the plan as far as he could tell.

Master Jedi.

Barriss felt weird hearing herself called that, but she didn't correct Dade. Now was not a good time for pedantics. She reached out, finding her lightsabers in the chaos and pulling them to her.

Did they have a plan? Barriss wasn't sure what to say. She didn't know truthfully, but telling Dade that wouldn't really do good for morale.

"We're... working on it," Barriss decided to answer, looking at Finn.

Finn looked at the crumbling barricade, and swallowed. "I need to do this, don't I?" He took a deep breath and held out his hands, closing his eyes. More wreckage began to rattle around them, as if it was about to lift up.

Rafe and Dade looked at Finn in surprise.

The blaster fire was about to shatter Barriss' defenses, but Finn couldn't find his center on his own -

Barriss realized what Finn was trying to do and she decided to help. She placed her non-mechanical hand on Finn's shoulder and closed her eyes as well.

"Breathe," she told him. "Find your center. It helps to focus on the love you have for others and others have for you. Trust me, love is the answer. It always is."

She even lent Finn some of her own strength in an attempt to make his task easier. Barriss could see his center and she did her best to help guide him to it...

Finn responded like a natural, or, rather, like someone who had been practicing alone for the better part of a decade. He reached out for the debris and it floated to reinforce the barricade, and they had a chance.

It wouldn't last forever, but two Force users could replenish their defenses rather than simply hold on. Together, they could do so much more. "I'm doing it!" Finn cried out.

Barriss smiled gently. "You are," she told Finn. She could feel his connection to the Force and for a moment, she felt like a teacher whose student had completed his lesson. Was this how Luminara felt when Barriss was her Padawan?

Of course, this was not a classroom. This was still a battlefield and it was important not to forget that. But while working with Finn, the odds against them didn't seem as bleak.

And there was something else. Barriss realized that Rafe, Dade, and the others were looking at them... in awe.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

OOC: A combo with @Sinrebirth

IC: Agent Bernhardt Johnson, Rose Tico, Ilsa Ferguson
Location: The Capitol, Coruscant

Johnson was getting frustrated. Rose was good at the technical bits, no doubts there but they were still not in the room with the jammer.

Rose was keeping a good pace up as they ran for someone who had been tortured. But with the clattering noises getting closer they had to move fast. Johnson with his two blasters trying to cover them both.

Rose was thinking the worst and Johnson was about to tell her that hopefully they would make it when they turned a corner…

And Johnson's heart broke all over again.

Ilsa had betrayed him. Whether it was to get her former high station back, to spite him, or whether it was just a deal he didn't know. But the former love of his life was now his enemy.

And he hated the First Order even more. Especially since they were now about to fight and possibly kill one another.

I had nightmares about this but that was when we were still together.

Johnson shook his head "You know I won't surrender Ilsa. You know what will happen if I do. I'll become an Agent again, or we'll both be imprisoned or they will kill us both".

His voice became sad "If I become an Agent again...I may never return. Or I have to watch you die, or vice versa. I really thought we would last forever but I guess it was never meant to be. Perhaps I should have gone with Lucretia, maybe things would have been different. But I stayed loyal to us and look what it's done".

He stepped forward blasters raised and moved in front of Rose "If you want her you'll have to get through me and that means killing me. And Ilsa? If you are going to do it, I want you to look into my eyes as you do".

Ilsa pulled a blaster. “You know I’ll do it.”

A Stormtrooper eyed her blaster and put a hand to it. “Minister Dorja said he had to die if he refused.”

“I know.”

“Your blaster is on stun.” He clicked it. “Now it’s not.”

Making her expression solemn, she readied the shot again. Rose stepped to the side of Johnson. “Look, I give up. I surrender. There - problem solved. Nobody needs to die.”

Johnson was confused by it all.

Ilsa was willing to kill him but she had been caught with her blaster on stun. Now she would have no choice but to fire at him.

What was her plan here?

Rose however seemed ready to send herself back to be tortured again. Johnson wasn't having it.

"I've just rescued your backside, I'm not going to see you tortured again." He looked at Ilsa unless she had something up her sleeve.

"When I first joined the Resistance I would die for it. The same still holds true today. It's just a shame that it had to be you that struck the coup de grace".

He took a deep breath...and fired at the troopers with his blasters.

A trooper died, clattering over the others -

The other four on the other side lifted their blasters in unison -

Ilsa pivoted and shot one at point blank range -

Rose rushed forward, driving her stun baton into a trooper’s neck -

Another trooper was shot by Johnson -

With a click of her blaster, Ilsa swung back to fire at him -

It seemed the three of them were working well as a team. The troopers so far were dropping but it maybe wouldn't be long until reinforcements arrived.

Johnson just kept firing at the troopers to make the way clear.

He heard Ilsa's blaster turn back to stun, it seemed she was still intent on stunning him and dragging him back into First Order control. Not going to happen.

"PACK IT IN ILSA!" he roared as he continued to shoot at the troopers, also firing warning shots at Ilsa. If she did not comply he would shoot her.

She dove, Rose grabbed a blaster and shot another trooper, and as Ilsa managed to reorient herself she pointed and fired a stun shot -

Johnson dove as the stun shot was fired and whilst keeping one blaster on the troopers….

I warned you.

He fired at Ilsa.

The bolt caught her in the chest, and she gasped, tumbling back. She heaved, cried out. “Johnson!”

Rose shot the last trooper dead, and released a breath. There was more noise coming their way - more clattering. But all she could do was stare at Ilsa.

He’d mortally wounded her.

Johnson's heart couldn't have broken any more if he tried.

This nightmare had come true.

And Rose probably thought he was just as bad as the rest of the First Order scum.

There were more incoming, he couldn't carry her he would have to.move soon if they were going to get to the jammer.

"We'll have to go back the way he came" he said to Rose picking himself up "We go that way we'll keep hitting wave after wave".

Johnson moved over to where Ilsa was and knelt down his face sad, holstering one blaster and tucking the other at the small of his back.

"I'm so sorry" he said "I was never going to go back to the First Order, you knew that. You chose to fight me, and look what it's done. I suppose I am a monster, but the First Order made me one".

"I lost you, and they will pay for it" he swallowed "I loved you Ilsa, I thought we would be together forever. But alas I know I will continue forever alone. Because I deserve it".

He leaned down and softly kissed her lips one last time "Goodbye my love, may you rest in peace".

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

Dol Khan and Abaddon
-Nal Hutta

Dol Khan eyes the giant man. A large brute, nothing out of the ordinary, but Nihl was apparently alerting him to the idea that the man was special. In what way? Dol Khan remained silent until an unidentified and unintroduced woman asked him if he would take part in the alliance.

"If the ship is to my requirements and the arms and suit can be tailored to my needs, then I would consider joining whatever it is that this is." He lied easily.

Abaddon looked around the room before answering.

"Abaddon." He said as an outstretched hand with uncanny speed wrapped itself around Lando's neck from behind. There was no force applied. Not yet.

"I am not here for your games, Calrissian. Nor am I interested in joining some alliance."

Lando hesitated, and Jannah and Salla drew a blaster in an eyeblink - as did the other smugglers half a second later. Nihl just watched, intrigued.

“I wasn’t talking to you, Abaddon. We’ve already got a deal and a target at - and we’re going there straight away after this.” He shrugged, almost nonchalant in the grip of a man.

Lando pointed the tip of his cane at Dol Khan. “If anything, this Kubaz gentleman is delaying me. We’ve plenty of ships in Salla’s lot he can have, after all. Everyone knows what’s going on now, it’s not time for us to be haggling.”

He looked out of the side of his eye at Abaddon and slowly turned to point the cane at him. “So you want to go, we’re going now.”

He raised his voice.

“We’re going to take Coruscant from the First Order.”

Dol Khan's fist clinched tight and then released nonchalantly. Another invader who thought they could come swing through and "liberate" Coruscant. He'd seen it happen before and these heroes were false heroes, with false promises and they would destroy large sections of Coruscant in their attempt to take it from the First Order. They had not been there during the Coruscant Civil Wars. They did not know: Coruscant did not belong to anyone.

The Kubaz relaxed and reminded himself that he was not here as Dol Khan. He was not here as the rebel terror agent. He could not let his emotions rule over him. His eyes, hidden behind the lenses of his goggles, slid up at Abaddon and back down to Salla and Lando.

"I have very specific needs for the ship and suit I require. The ship needs to be able to store at least one starfighter and a complete armament of blasters, detonators, grenades, and cannons for a small militia. The suit...I have outlined the schematics, should an engineer and armorer be at Salla's disposal."

"If you're looking to recruit allies, then I say give the Kubaz what he wants." Abaddon said as he released Lando. "No more detours. No more stops. If our next stop is not Coruscant, our deal is off."

Lando rolled his eyes. He kept the stick pointed at Abaddon, but waved down the guns of Salla and Jannah, and the rest. "Do it, Salla. We're going to Coruscant as soon as it's done." He turned to face the Kubaz. "You best be worth it."

Nihl whispered to Dol. Did we need to gouge them when we need them?

Dol Khan did not acknowledge Nihl with a response. What good were resources in the hands of those who did not share his goal? They may both want the end of the First Order but should it come, it was now apparent that these people would attempt to exploit and rule over Coruscant instead of letting Freeman determine their fates.

“I will be awaiting delivery of the ship, the arms, and the suit atop the Cardas hotel.” He replied.

Abaddon grinned. He liked a man who was about his business. Decades had passed since he was around criminals and thieves of this caliber.

“When we land on Coruscant, what is the plan?”

“I thought we’d storm the Capitol, and well, end the First Order?” Lando said.

Salla nodded to the Kubaz as he left, lips twisted in concern. Jannah didn’t like it either. Nonetheless, Salla shouted after him. “See you in one hour.”

Lando gestured generally, lowering his cane. “There you go. In one hour, we’ll launch for Coruscant. That sound good?” He jerked a thumb through the door to the space-barn. “Take whatever it is you want or need armament wise and we’ll head off.”

The other smugglers began to rush off, and Salla pulled a face. “You paying for all that?”

“I’m good for it.”

“Tendra is good for it.”

“And Tendra and I are good,” Lando flashed a grin.

Rolling her eyes, Salla headed off to deal with the Kubaz’ request and Lando’s chaos. He looked back at Abaddon. “Good?”

"Sure. For now." The giant answered.

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Eleanor Magnus
Courscant

When the explosion settled, Eleanor felt dazed at first. She was aware that something didn't feel quite right. But it wasn't until a searing, burning pain up her right leg that made her scream that she had a chance to figure out what what was.

Eleanor turned to the best if her ability to roll off Mirta, and looked down. It took a few moments for her brain to register that there was a tangled, body mess where her leg was. Eleanor gasped and cried out, reaching for Mirta. "Mirta-" She felt scared, "-Mirta...help...I don't...my leg..."

Mirta gasped.

It was utter pandemonium by this point.

The entire world was aflame, and Eleanor was -

She had -

The woman was hard as beskar and as sharp as the blade of a lightsaber, but her enemy stepping in and saving her? Even she wasn’t so callous.

Mirta palmed a painkiller even though she knew it wasn’t enough. Nudging them up besides a fallen Walker and shouted over the tumult. “SAVARA!”

She looked down at Eleanor. “It’ll be alright, okay? It’ll be alright.”

Eleanor leaned her head against Mirta as she pulled them up next to a Walker, wincing and whimpering in pain. She tried to steady herself, tried to focus on anything else but her leg but she couldn't-

"Mirta...am I..."Eleanor gasped out. She leaned her head and closed her eyes for a moment. "...I don't want to die Mirta."

“You’re not going to die,” said Mirta. “You’re going to be Mand’alor, after all.” Zhe cracked a grin, and shouted again for Savara.

Mirta loaded a second painkiller, hesitated as it was a lot. “Where is everyone else? That Chiss? Or the Twi’lek?”

Pulling a face, Mirta raised her voice even louder. “VESTARA!”

"She's gone." Eleanor whimpered. She looked up at Mirta. "They should be be near my ship." She swallowed hard as another wave of pain went through her.

She want's me to be Mand'alor?

“Your ship is shrapnel, Eleanor,” Mirta said, bluntly, throwing her words out of stress. “VESTARA -“

“I heard you.”

The woman emerged from the chaos, her armour shed, an expression of disdain on her face. “I told you not to use my real name.”

“I know but this is -“

“Your enemy?” Vestara squeezed a hand into a fist. Mirta rose from the ground, choking on air. “Eleanor, was it? You’re such a do-gooder.” She stepped over, put her booted foot on her ruined leg; poised to press down.

“I should put you out of your misery.”

"Mirta..." Eleanor gasped out as the woman was lifted into the air. She screamed when a foot was placed on her injured leg. "Stop it! Leave her alone." Eleanor felt defensive, protective. All of the above at once and the force was reacting to her emotions.

"I'm not a do-gooder. But at least I have common sense." Eleanor got out through gritted teeth. She forced herself to sit up and looked the Sith in her eyes. "Back off!"

Vestara leaned closer. “Make me. Come on. You’re a Force user, right? Go dark for Mirta.”

“Do it.”

"I don't have to take you down with the dark side to win this fight." Eleanor growled out. She reached out with the force amd propelled herself up and into Vestara as hard as she could-

Vestara tumbled back and away, and fortune was on Eleanor’s side - a missile slammed into the floor and Vestara vanished into it. Mirta dropped to the floor, rubbing her the throat. “Remind me never to work with Sith again.”

Mirta moved down to assist Eleanor up. In the chaos, the explosion caught the eye of the family, and Kaz, Asteria and Almaria snuck through the firefight. Madelyn was not with them. “What happened?” Kaz said, looking down at Eleanor.

Asteria glared at Mirta. “What did you do?”

“I didn’t do nothing,” the woman snapped.

Eleanor gasped, and held onto to Mirta again as she helped her up. She looked at Kaz, Amaria and Asteria as they walked up. "No! She didn't!" Eleanor buckled under her the pain of her leg.

Amaria rushed over and took her under the arm, and Kaz went for the other one, helping her more undercover by the felled Walker. “We can’t move - we’re completely surrounded. All we can do it sit back and hope we make it.”

Asteria began to well up. Mirta, for her part, affixed her gaze on the Darksaber. “Where did you find that!?”

"It's okay. I'm okay." Eleanor told her. "We'll make it. I promise." She paused, took a sharp breath. "That's complicated. But I have to find that Jedi Rey and earn it back." She looked at Mirta. "The Knights of Ren had it before. But the Jedi didn't take it when she left." She paused. "I have to earn it."

Mirta nodded, once, twice. If she took it... she would she would be unworthy. If she gave it to Grandfather... with a shake of her head, Mirta dispelled the notion.

Largely because more fire was carpeting the area, and only one part seemed to have acquired a shield of debris - erected by Barriss and seemingly Finn!

Asteria pointed. “Let’s go that way.”

“But keep low,” Kaz said.

“Ready?” Amaria said, teeth grit.

Mirta picked up a blaster. “I’ll cover you.”

The two holding Eleanor looked at their former enemy, and nodded.

She had changed a heart today, and that was all that mattered.

"Yes...alright let's go. I hope mother is alright." Eleanor shut her eyes, trying to keep herself steady although she was being held up by Kaz and Amaria. "Stay safe. Asteria, don't go too far ahead."

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

OOC: A very important (For Vicrul...and well...) combo with @Sinrebirth

IC: Vicrul Ren
Death

Vicrul would peer at the masked man that called himself Ren, his face then revealed as Vicrul thought to himself, the original Master of the Knights of Ren speaking, although Vicrul did not know this, there was no reason for him to know it.

"So. Hey, kid. You sure this is the life for you?"

In turn, Vicrul took off his own helmet

"Where am I?"

“Not Mortis, but I guess you passed through the big bright light Celestial scanner thingy.” He pushed at the flame with a twig. “Which is why I’m back from the shadow, though I’m supposed to be, y’know, dead.”

He indicated with his flaming branch, absently. “I used to lead the Knights of Ren before your beloved Kylo.” A shard of sarcasm, there. “I guess you’ve some unresolved issues about ascending to power, but, y’know, didn’t Hattaska have it coming for him?”

Vicrul's eyes hardened. "He did indeed, perhaps in time I may have killed him, but now we will never know."

The Knight of Ren looked all around him, he had not missed the sarcasm when he mentioned his Master's name. Something he had no right to do. Vicrul was oddly calm, and even he was not sure why.

"Why am I here? What do you want?"

“It’s not what I want, I’ve simply been tugged from the nethers to check you out for the monolith your Balance-obsessed chap has found and started worshipping.” He chortled. “Your boss-man, Kylo, he’s off to claim the power of Mortis for himself and that Last Jedi is there too.”

He flexed a hand into a fist, experimenting with the wrist. “But everyone’s hyped for this finale clash between the Light and the Dark, as if it’ll make a big old difference to the galaxy.” Ren fixed Vicrul with a hard gaze. “I’m here to tell you it won’t; that you need to get into your head that the after of this big ole fight is all that matters. Who gets the dark throne when Kylo dies? Who gets to be the great light when Rey is done?”

He pointed. “That’s who you need to be hunting, or sidling up to.” He grinned. “Better yet, why not go and be it yourself, y’know?”

"Do not address the Supreme Leader in such a manner."

He snapped, his eyes filled with hatred. The words 'Ren' spoke struck deeply into Vicrul's heart., his master would never die, he could not. For without his guiding principle there was no purpose. No purpose other than death.

As he simmered down he looked back to Ren his eyes looking toward him questioningly.

"What do you mean when the Supreme Leader dies? What do you mean when the Last Jedi is done? You speak as if you know of some cataclysmic event that will end them both."

A thought then occurred to Vicrul.

If the Supreme Leader really was destined to die, was not the greater purpose to bring order to the galaxy? To ensure the supremacy of the Dark Side of the Force?

What good would it be if he just ended his life along with his Master's?

These thoughts troubled Vicul as he thought over everything and he looked back to Ren.

"What makes you so sure we will not slaughter the Last Jedi?"

Ren snorted. "They've fought a few times now, haven't they? Back during the last war and all that." He shook his head. "What makes you think that the Supreme Leader can do it this time?"

He peered into the flames. "I mean, you've heard the rumours right, that the Ben Solo rocked up at the Battle of Exegol and slew the Knights of Ren - and helped kill Old Man Palpatine? How is that Darkness, I ask ya?"

"Can you fathom how much damage he did if even a word of that is true?"

Doubt.

Doubt was leaking into Vicrul's mind, his house of cards of a psyche wobbling dangerously close to a collapse. He had known that his Master had killed the previous Knights of Ren, but for being traitors not so he could rise against Palpatine. Was Vicrul's very purpose a lie? Was he just a means to end?

He shook his head in frustration, looking to Ren.

"Even if this is true, and even if my Master dies, I am too weak...how could I possibly bring about Darkness?"

“That’s the thing; you need to get stronger, dontcha?” Ren grinned. “You could have had beaten Hattaska, but the Last Jedi robbed you. So, you need to find a place where you can cut loose. Go all out; kill dozens, hundreds - thousands, if you have to.”

“Dip deep in that dark side and become more shadow than Vicrul, y’know?” He gestured vaguely outside the dream space. “That gremlin, he’s not Dark, he’s all about judging who gets to be the next One. Bah. Who wants Gods stopping us from taking the galaxy? Not me!”

“You should be heading back to where you can do the most damage, really wracking up that body count.” He grinned. “Find more shadows, dominate them, become stronger, until you find a whole posse of your own.”

Ren indicated behind him. “That’s what you really want.”

For standing there was Vicrul Ren.

The last one.

He had a lightsaber gash across his chest.

Ren spoke. “To avenge yourself.”

The scene began to fade away -

Vicrul stared at himself behind his mask until the last possible moment

The words the former master of the Knights of Ren spoke struck Vicrul in all the right places. Vicrul came to look at the lightsaber gash across his predecessor's chest, the image haunting his mind. He had just been told what he had locked in his mind, and for the first time in his life Vicrul was going to do what he wanted to do, not his bidding of his Master or the whims of strange alien creatures.

In the next moment he found himself aboard the Dauntless, how he woke up there he did not know, but there he was. He was in his quarters or at least the quarters that had been made for him. He went to shave his face, looking at himself in the mirror, shedding away who he once was. It would only take him a moment for him to reach the front deck, his eyes darting to the Captain. Vicrul's face unmasked.

Lord Vicrul Ren
​

"Captain, take us to Coruscant, there has been a change of plans."

TAG: @Sinrebirth @darthbernael

 

Rhoen Aquilla
Eclipse

Well, fancy that, they did have an Aleph, a thing he said as a throw away jab had turned true. In front of it a familiar form, Zueb, Syal's former co-pilot. Condolences were made for the loss of Tiom, Rhoen looked away, choosing to remain silent. Seemed this was just reunion after reunion. He knew how much Syal loved the Aleph, and hated when she had to give it up. Right now he was sure she loved it more than him...which was likely a low bar at the moment. Her barb about an X-Wing suiting him seemed a fair tit-for-tat. Taking it on the chin he looked out into the hangar seeing it mostly full with old TIEs and other imperial craft though there were enough Incom and others scattered about, enough to be likely all the fighters the Resistance had.

"We arrive in five minutes," a voice echoed in the cavernous hangar, "All crews to your fighters. Repeat -"

"That seems to be our…" He was stopped mid sentence by Syal's lips meeting his. His heart lept into his throat, his eyes went wide for just a moment in shock before, against his better judgement, he melted into the kiss. When it was over there was a moment of contentment, of reminiscing. Then the cold reality asserted itself. He was still angry, still put out by her actions. One kiss, one sign of affection wasn't going to paper over all the pain. Though for that brief moment everything seemed alright.

With a slight frown he walked away slipping on his helmet and jumping into his x-wing, the one once stolen from him by his wife. It was an older model but didn't seem like there had been much change between 9 years ago and now. It would still fly circles around whatever the First Order put out. Especially with him behind the controls. In the moments before launch he let out a breath looking up to see Syal across from him. There was an odd sense of Deja Vu, like he'd been here before. He had what felt like a lifetime ago. She gave a thumbs up which Rhoen merely gave a curt nod of his head, giving recognition of her gesture and nothing more. Letting out a breath he reached into his pocket pulling out a small holosphere with a magnet on the bottom.

He knew what it was, a holo of him, Syal, and Valerie. It was a happier time, a time before he was forced into this fight. Now it was something he hoped to get back to, hopefully soon. Attaching the device to his instrument panel, it sat in the corner of his vision. It was a tradition in his family. His mother kept a holo of him and his father in her cockpit, it was their motivation, the reason they fought. They fought for their family, to make it a safer place for them. There was an added layer that he was flying on the wing of his wife, trying to keep her safe.

He launched behind her with the Falcon directly behind them. Checking his scanners, the space came filled with TIE Hunters. With a deep breath ice started to flow through his veins. The adrenaline was hitting, his heart was beating and all the trouble and turmoil in his personal life faded away. This was combat, this was life and death. He had one goal, keep Syal alive, and keep himself alive. Whatever needed to be done to complete that goal would be done. Smoothly he swooped out of the way of the incoming fire from the Sentinel. Next was a pack of hunters scattering, likely looking for targets of opportunity.

They wouldn't get that. As Syal went evasive, so did he, staying right on her wing as they spun and dove.

"Split." Came the order from Syal, and with that one word the pair broke off splitting the hunters between them. Rhoen adjusted his shield to cheat more behind him than in front then snapped around in a tight turn. The Aleph and X-Wing barreled right at each other until the last moment turning at just the right time. Her going port, him going starboard, they'd done this so many times in the sim they didn't have to tell which way they were going. The surprise of having an X-Wing suddenly in front of them gave Rhoen the surprise he needed to lay into one destroying it and clipping another. With another hard turn he fell in beside Syal, both of them operating on instinct and years of training that they were dusting off after so long away.

"Two hop." She called out, Rhoen dutifully dove down and cut his throttle letting another hunter fly over him rising up he peppered the fighter with lasers quickly tearing through the shields and putting some hits into the armor. He was forced to break off when the others started to swarm around him. A missile lock echoed in his cockpit. He waited for a moment until the deadly warhead launched, then cranked hard on the stick, pushing him into a tight turn that quickly broke the lock, letting the missile fly off into the black. A quick check of his sensors and he moved quickly to join up with Syal once again.

"In front…" He called out as he dove down in front of her giving Zueb a good opening to blast away at the TIEs that crossed their viewport. They were still outnumbered but those numbers were quickly getting cut down.

Seemed the fighting machine that was Dancer Squadron was still well oiled...if a little cold.

Rhoen's fighter was rocked by a laser blast that struck his shields.

"I'm fine…" He said turning hard as a superlaser blast blew a hole in the blockade of the capital planet. There was something distasteful about using such a terrible weapon about using the weapon that killed billions. But it wasn't something for him to think about as he had more immediate issues. Banking hard, more blasts fly past him, he tried throttle hopping but the pilot was ready for that. Pulling back on the stick he rose into a loop cutting his throttle at the top and let the more maneuverable Hunter fly past him. Opening up with his lasers he picked apart the TIE leaving another cloud of debris. More lasers fly past him.


The battle was just beginning.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

OOC: A combo with @Sinrebirth

IC: Agent Bernhardt Johnson, Ilsa Ferguson, Agent Smith
Location: The Capitol, Coruscant

Johnson was now holding Ilsa and deciding what to do next. He couldn't take Ilsa with him, he would have to leave her body behind.

Of course his main mission was to get Rose out. But that was becoming more difficult with more troops on the way.

But a further wrinkle in the plan happened when a bulkhead slammed down in between him and Rose. But thankfully not before she provided some useful info. Maybe there was an alternate entrance to the jammer.

First of all though was Ilsa. He had said his piece but he wondered if Ilsa was too far gone to respond.

He waited.

She was still alive.

Barely.

"Lucrecia..."

She said, quietly, pushing herself to speak…

He had said all that he had needed to say and all she could respond with was Lucretia?

"Lucretia?" Johnson repeated. "She fell in love with me but I resisted her. Because I was loyal to you, loved you. I did want to escape with her help but she paid for it with her life. I feel as bad for that as me hurting you".

"What are you trying to say?" He leaned down to try and grab what she was saying as she was talking quietly.

“She…” Ilsa coughed.

“It was she who helped me get in -“

“She… survived…” A cough, once, twice.

There was a clatter.

Of course more troopers were coming.

And now? He was in a dead-end.

Johnson could not believe what he was hearing. Lucretia, the woman who had fallen in love with him, the woman who had tried to help him and who had wanted him to escape with her….was still alive.

There were questions running around his head. Did she fake her death? How did she survive all this time without being spotted? Would she still have feelings for him after what he had become and done? Why did she help Ilsa if she was competing for his affections?

It was all moot as the troopers were coming. He would have to move soon, attack and hope he could get to the alternate entrance to the jammer before he joined Ilsa on the floor and dying.

“I will find out what went on, I think I deserve that much” he squeezed her gently “I’m sorry I mortally wounded you but I did warn you” a tear did dribble down his cheek “If only you had come with me then none of this would have happened. You would still be alive and we would fight the First Order together. And afterwards we would have gotten married, maybe even had kids. But the First Order took that away from us”.

He growled “I will make sure they will fall. And I will find Lucretia and find out the truth. All of it”.

He caressed her cheek gently “Perhap we will be together again someday in the spirit world. But know this. I did love you, I would have died for you. I would have loved you until the end of the galaxy and back. But that love died when you slammed that door in my face. And our worst fears and nightmares came true”.

Ilsa gulped air, tears in her eyes. “I love you, Johnson… but I wanted you for myself. I’m sorry - and I forgive you.” She pulled her hand from under her, from where she’d fallen awkwardly.

She had a detonator in her hand.

“Go, my love.” She indicated with her chin. “The Jammer is that way. They led me by it to ambush you. You’ll figure it out.” Ilsa smiled. “You’re brilliant, after all.”

Johnson swallowed. She was going to blow herself up to save him. That she thought Lucretia maybe would muscle in and take Johnson away from her or that he would maybe share his love between Lucretia and her?

Red hot rage coursed through his veins. Rage at himself, at the First Order. Some of it was directed at Lucretia for helping make him the monster he was. For helping break him. For running away and leaving him when she said she loved him.

He moved his face closer to Ilsa's and kissed her again "You were my one and only, I will never forget you. And I forgive you too. I love you so very much". He felt she deserved to hear that last bit to know he did love her back as she passed away.

Johnson gently placed her on the ground, and pulling his blasters back out turned and began to run.

As he ran, troopers rushed around the corner to confront Ilsa -

They hesitated as they saw her. “Bye.”

She smiled, blood dribbling down her lip -

The explosion rocked the Capitol, knocking out lights for the merest, briefest moment -

And in that moment all the doors automatically opened for safety reasons, and in front of Johnson was a door that slid open of the same design as the entrance that he and Rose had struggled to access earlier -

Johnson stumbled a little as Ilsa's grenade exploded. That would send everyone into a panic for a little while.

Goodbye my love Johnson thought sadly may your spirit rest easy.

Johnson kept on running, he had to. This jammer was going to go even if he had to die trying to get to it at least he would give Rose a chance to get there if she did make it.

The door looked like it was the same one Rose was trying to bypass and now it was open and inviting. But who knew who would be inside. Stromtroopers? Technicians?

He continued on and hopefully would get through the door before it closed.

He did - just about. The bottom of the door clipped the rear of his shoe, and then bathed the room in darkness.

Where was he now? Then the lights returned, and there were some three dozen techs surrounding a massive, reinforced, cube.

Automated blasters hung from the ceiling, sedentary for the moment, as a tech looked back at the noise of the door -

His mouth opened -

With the door clipping his shoe Johnson did have to stumble forward but he did turn it into a roll, his blasters up and at the ready.

He scanned the area, it was still dark for now...ah there were the lights coming back on.

In front of him was...bingo

However there were techs in the way and blasters. It would not be long before one of these were activated. He switched one to stun and fired at the tech, with the other he fired upwards trying to take out one or both of the blasters in case any of the techs had any ideas.

"I will ask you politely, move away from the cube. Now. If any of you have any ideas about calling for help you will end up like your friend here. Now....move"

"Also one important question. Is this the jammer? And is there a way to deactivate the reinforcement surrounding it?"

The remaining techs looked at each other, and at the ruined blasters above them. One spoke up. “Why should we help you? The First Order is going to win - you’ll have just told everyone you’re here by doing that.”

Johnson then shot the tech who spoke up with the blaster set to stun "I did warn you, and if there is one thing I have learnt is that you never ignore a warning from an Agent. And I didn't fancy getting shot at by those blasters".

"Now yes I may have alerted reinforcements but I would rather not be fried because someone did something stupid. So unless anyone else wants to end up like these two here or maybe even possibly dead I suggest someone answers my question regarding the reinforcement surrounding the cube and whether this is the jammer".

"Oh and if someone could deactivate said reinforcement that would be helpful".

The techs folded their arms.

They were the most loyal of the First Order. They had been made loyal, utterly so. Indeed, flittering from the corner of Johnson's eye he would see something... between them. For a moment, the twenty or so techs all looked like...

Him.



Johnson switched his other blaster from stun to kill. It looked like he was going to have to play dirty again.

But...was he seeing things? Was that….

"Smith" he growled "You were a hard one to put down. Going to come out and play so I can finish you off? Of course the only way you are going to stop me from blasting this jammer to bits is kill me".

"Or shall I kill your minions first?"

The ‘Smiths’ looked at each other.

“You are mistaken, Agent Johnson.” The voice sounded from inside his head. “The techniques to brainwash First Order loyalties are simply patterned on one personality, replicated across dozens… me, of course.”

The techs spoke, in unison.

“Me, me, me.”

One stepped forward.

“You can’t kill me, so why not accept me?”

Johnson growled "Get. Out. Of. My. Head"

Smith was still calling him Agent Johnson, perhaps his former colleague had decided to play mind games. He'd certainly gotten into the technician's brains. No doubt he would try and gain control of Johnson.

"I will never accept you" he continued to growl "And I will no longer comply. You may have found a way to control people loyal to the First Order like drones, but you will have a harder job getting to me".

"Now are you going to come out? Or are you going to hide? Someone ought to stop you and it might as well be a former Agent. And I will destroy this cube".

"Because the galaxy deserves to be free from people like you".

Agent Smith laughed. “I’m the programming, my friend. You can’t get rid of me, Agent Johnson. Dr Gast took the greatest of us and patterned all the brainwashing accordingly.”

One of the techs lifted his hands to the sky and continued the litany. “Inside this Capitol is everything anyone would ever need to recreate me again and again and again.”

“The First Order will never, ever, be gone, and I will return as long as there is a Jedi and Sith to continue this insipid war,” another tech laughed loudly in Smith’s voice.

Shoulders were rolled and necks popped in anticipation of the fight to come. There were fourteen of him - and one of Johnson. “I am free! Free to become whatever the Supreme Leader needs me to be!”

See Lucretia? You might have had a hand in this...look what has happened. The First Order creations are fighting each other.

"Jedi and Sith, you know all they are good for is fighting wars and bringing everyone else into them, well at least the Jedi are against the First Order. This war will end but not with a First Order victory".

He put his blasters away, one in his holster, one at the small of his back guess I am having to fight dirty.

"I will do what I must" he then prepared himself by dropping into a fighting stance.

Playtime.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Lord Vicrul Ren
Inbound to Coruscant

It would appear that time was of the essence. If indeed there was an attack on the Capital building it would be all the better for him to get there faster. He gave a look to the Captain who was clearly nervous in his presence.

"I shall take you up on your offer Captain Peek, be sure to arrive at Coruscant soon, and be sure to destroy any terrorist ships should there be any"

He then turned with a quick sweep off to hanger bay to board the ship, preparing to make his way to the Capital planet. His vengeance would be swift and merciless.

The Captain saluted and nodded. “I shall have the Whisper prepared for you, my Lord.”

As Vicrul transferred to the hangar, his com would chime. It was Lorl Ren. “My lord, I have discovered a candidate for the Knights as reformed in your name on behalf of our Supreme Leader.”

He was on one knee above the miniature holoplate. “I would introduce Vestara Khai, a self-taught Sith who has spent her time holding back the Resistance advance among the Mandalorian Brutetroopers.”



“I infiltrated the First Order to join the Knights, my Lord Ren. Please, accept my fealty, and my blades.” Her voice was sultry, and intrigued, the young woman on the cusp of her thirties and not suffering from her repeat encounters with Barriss and Eleanor.

Vicrul looked to the hologram of the woman, pleased that Lorl had been able to make contact with a candidate so quickly.

"Your fealty is accepted. It would seem there is some kind of insurrection on Coruscant, I am headed to stop it, it would be wise if you both did the same"

If it was indeed the case that a resistance uprising was occurring on the capital planet, all the better for more Knights to be there to bring an end to it. The mixture of excitement, anger, hate, loathing, and bloodlust all swam in Vicrul's heart. His mind descending into a deeper darkness as he made his destiny realized.

My Lord,” replied Lorl. “We are here, already, confronting the Resistance. They are great in number, greater than expected. The stolen Eclipse has arrived in-system and is ravaging our orbital defences. The Capitol is secure, but the Finalizer has been destroyed,” he confirmed, naming the First Order flagship. “I have ordered the Knife 9 to rise above the battle and use the underside cannons on the enemy ship.”

That was their immense dreadnought flagship, but still half the size of the stolen Eclipse. It’s underside cannons had destroyed the Akivan capital not a few days before at the command of Hattaska.

Vestara smirked slightly. “Why not order the Knife 9 to fire upon the Resistance army? It is engaged with our own forces, and casualties will be high, but who cares?”

Lorl Ren hesitated. That would shatter their ground response, but do a sizeable amount of damage.

Vicrul was 'pleased' at the news the two of them were already at Coruscant. By now he was arriving at the hanger bay, making his way to his designated ship, his mind racing.

"No, such a move would be foolish to expend our own troops to destroy their own, such a sacrifice is too great. Have the Knife 9 continue to fire at any orbital support"

Besides he wanted to be launched straight in the fray of the Resistance army, to tear them to shreds himself. His hands were shaking with the dark emotions flowing throughout his being, the anticipation mounting ever higher within his being.

Vestara bowed, and Lorl nodded. He was not one for wanton slaughter of their own troops. Hattaska may have, but not Vicrul. “We shall await your arrival, my Lord. I shall seek other shadows for our new Knights and prepare a secure location for you.” He signed off, leaving Vestara.

She smiled at him, the expression accentuated by a small scar at the edge of one side of her mouth. “I live to serve, Lord Vicrul Ren. I hope I, too, shall become a Ren in your service. The legacy of Ruin is one I seek power from too.”

The words bid a memory to Vicrul. Of when he had been recruited… by… Ren? The man he had met before in the monolith? He drawled as he did.

Its a funny old thing, when you look at it. Darth Ruin was the guy who set up the Sith Order, or set up again, depending on ya history. He thought he was everything, and everyone. That he was, like, a God. A ‘One’, and everyone was a figment of his imagination. Mad bad stuff.

Ren laughed, sipping his alcoholic concoction.

But he made it so six of his closest Jedi comrades were actually him, replaced their souls with his, turned them all into puppets. Proper, um, solipsism, is the word. So he and his special seven were HIM, and he sent all the other figments of his imagination to die against the Jedi.

A snort.

There were fifty Jedi who founded the Sith with him, and, well, they didn’t like being cannon fodder, and so they did what Sith do best and turned on ole Darth Ruin, and the so-called Chosen of the One - the Knights of Ruin. In a bloodbath that basically kicked off a thousand years of in-fighting, they killed Ruin.

This was a memory of the prior Vicrul.

Or, perhaps…

But Ren continued.

The Knights of Ruin carried on, basically insane at this stage, and over the years they realised they could ply their skills to the highest bidder, and went independent. Eventually Ruin became Ren - and ta da! Here we are. The Knights of Ren, led by me - Ren.

Thus, the Knights of Ren…

… the Knights of Ruin.

The term Ruin did mean something to Vicrul. The legacy that he now carried with him, one that he did not know of until recently. One that he would now realize in his own image.

"We shall see"

Would be all he would say to Vestara, he signed off a moment later, making his way to the Tie Whisper that stood before him, the one that would take him to Coruscant. To achieve his destiny.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

OOC: Combo with @TheSilentInfluence and @Sinrebirth

IC: Barriss Sunrider

When the Resistance ships came to the rescue, Barriss had cheered with the rest. She found herself smiling, actually smiling.

"I knew it," she said to herself, feeling the Force swell with hope and hearing Finn cry out to the Resistance army.

As she considered her next move, she spotted the makeshift field hospital and realized that they could use an experienced healer. She looked at Finn.

"I'm going to help the wounded," she explained. "I'm sure you can take care of things from here."

Finn nodded, grinned. "I've got this."

The New Resistance Army marched on, and Dade and Rafe went with them, firing haphazardly at the retreating Brutetroopers, though the modern walkers formed a backstop that didn't hesitate to hurl torrents of fire at the new arrivals -

Asteria watched them go. "Barriss, Eleanor is hurt!"

The violence they had just jointly survived seemed to have broken down several barriers between them all - their fraught discussion on Bonadan was forgotten, possibly because a certain Xundel and Vicrul were missing.

Barriss heard Asteria cry out and she immediately ran over to her. Her healer instincts kicked in as she checked on Eleanor. Deciding without hesitation to take away some of the woman's pain, she placed her hand over Eleanor's wounds and called upon the Force just like she had done when Madelyn was wounded on Bonadon. This had two effects: it transferred some more of Eleanor's pain to her and it transferred some of her strength to Eleanor. The pain didn't bother her, but the action was still a little draining for her.

Eleanor clutched at her leg, trying to pull away from Kaz and Amaria as the pain became unbearable. She gritted her teeth to stop from screaming and her mother turned towards Barriss who had come over to help her.

"Barriss, help please!" Madelyn said desperately.

Eleanor felt a little stronger, but she felt weaker at the same time. She glanced at Barriss, "Don't wear yourself out."

"I'm okay," Barriss told Eleanor with a soft tone. She looked at Madelyn. "And she'll be okay as well."

She closed her eyes and her breathing slowed as she focused on Eleanor's leg, touching it gently and allowing the pain to wash over her instead. Barriss winced slightly, but didn't pull away. By the time that she was finished, Barriss was sweating slightly and she stumbled a bit as she stepped back.

"I did all that I could do," she explained. "But I think that will be enough."

Eleanor looked down at her leg, it seemed okay. But she had a bad feeling. Like it was only temporary. "Thank you."

Madelyn went over to Barriss and held into her arm. "Yes, I think you saved her life."

Barriss nodded at Madelyn. "It's no problem," she told her. "Saving lives is what I should be doing, after all. I can't save everyone, but I can reduce the hurt as much as I can."

Madelyn smiled and squeezed her arm in response. "It's appreciated." She looked at Eleanor, who had shut her eyes. "We should get Eleanor to a hospital."

"I agree," Barriss said. "You take care of that, I'm going to tend to the other wounded."

Barriss began to head off, but then she stopped and turned to face Madelyn's group. "Oh, and it's Barriss Sunrider now. Not Offee." She gave a little smile. "I thought it was time for a change."

Madelyn smiled a little. "Good luck, Barriss Sunrider." She turned to the others. "See if you get transport."

The medical transport was a lander, more than anything. They didn't have a medical frigate, not yet, and the droids there were gentle but thorough before they made the announcement. "The leg cannot be saved."

Kaz's eyes widened -

"You haven't even spent ten minutes looking!" Asteria said, loudly - she needed to be loud over the nearby detonation of the Resistance tank.

-

Barriss was still in earshot when the report came in, and when a blaster bolt ripped towards her -

"Get down!" The warning came from Trace!

Barriss' lightsaber leapt into her hands and she ignited its white blade, harmlessly swatting the blaster bolt aside. Her reaction was noticeably slower though as a result of the drain that her recent actions had taken on her. This didn't bother her though, not as long as she was still helping and saving others.

"Trace?" Barriss asked, recognizing the voice in surprise and looking for where it came from. She wasn't expecting to see the Martez sister so soon...

She rushed over to Barriss, drawing her into a hug. “I’m sorry. Just, so sorry.” There were tears in her eyes, a blaster in her other hand. “When I heard about the battle here, I just knew you’d be here, fighting.”

Barriss was even more surprised by the hug than she was by Trace's presence, her face turning slightly red.

"Why are you here?" she managed to ask Trace getting over her shock. "I thought you hated me, that you would still be mad at me for... you know."

Trace shook her head. “My mind was clearer when I had some space. I knew you’d made the right choice, and to be honest my parents would have been grateful that their death meant something…” she looked down at her hands. “There are many meaningless ways to die on Coruscant.”

-

Madelyn paused and reached down to place a hand on Asteria's shoulder. "It's okay." She told her gently. "Your mother can lose her leg, but she will not lose her life."

Eleanor drifted in and out of consciousness, but she had heard the droid. "No...don't...." She muttered, "...don't want to be crippled." She glanced at Kaz and fumbled for his hand.

The droids for their part looked down at the leg. “It is broken in several places and there is severe internal bleeding. We cannot repair it before the damage spreads around the body. Several clots have formed and if one should break death will follow.”

Kaz took her hand and squeezed it.

“Please grant permission for us to remove the leg immediately.”

Asteria buried her head in Eleanor’s stomach, crying.

Eleanor sighed and brought her other hand to Asteria, gently running her hand through her hair. She looked at her mother, Kaz and Amaria.

"I guess I don't have a choice." Eleanor replied with a sharp breath. "Alright. Remove it." She paused and looked troubled, wondering what it would be like to have one leg.

The droids at the makeshift med station nodded, and promptly injected Eleanor; she would fall asleep, sedated as they got to work. Her last thought would likely be that those explosions were getting closer…

And they were. One of the new First Order walkers had managed to break through the Resistance lines and was charging their rear support - the grounded transports and shuttles that were coordinating their attack. Which of course included the medical shuttle.

Kaz let go of Eleanor’s hand and drew a blaster and took a shot -

Trace pointed as four Brutetroopers leapt off the back of the walker, having used it as cover to advance into the rear lines -

They were the only combatants here. Beaumont Kin had ground command but he was only a soldier of chance. The archaeologist shouted into his comms, unaware he had Jedi amongst those in the rear guard. “Finn we’re in trouble!”

-

Barriss put her hand on Trace's shoulder, wondering if something had been influencing her emotions and actions back on the ship. She didn't think of it then, but the kyber crystal's hurt could have been affecting Trace as well so that she wasn't in her right mind when she dumped Barriss.

She then saw that Trace was pointing at something behind her and she turned around to see the First Order walker with the four Brutetroopers breaking through the Resistance lines. She also heard the voice of Beaumont Kin, telling Finn that they were in trouble.

"Stay back," Barriss told Trace. She closed her eyes and focused on the strength that she still had. Then she called upon the Force and leapt off the ground, drawing her lightsabers as she landed near the walker. With a few swings, she cut through the legs of the walker and downed the vehicle before it could open fire on the medical transport.

The Brutetroopers were still a problem, but at least they were focused on her now. She spun around as they began firing on her, deflecting their blaster bolts with her two lightsabers.

Eleanor was aware of explosions as she fell asleep, but didn't have a chance to react. She hoped they would make it through this.

Madelyn turned to Kaz and Amaria. "Keep behind me and keep Asteria close to you." She reached out with the Force, trying to see the best target to attack.

The legs of the walker were not as easy to slice as Barriss believed, and though damaged, resisted the lightsaber and though the Walker knelt down, it went to stand again.

Trace, ignoring Barriss, rushed forward and began firing, even as Kaz and Almira did so too. Three Brutetroopers focused on Barriss, and she would immediately tell the difference between this force and the first. Reflected bolts simply deflected from their armor, and they swiftly switched from blasters to physical ordnance, their oversized arm weapons shifting to fire razor sharp streams of metal at Barriss -

The fourth landed beside the medical bay and saw Eleanor, Madelyn and Asteria - and the Darksaber clutched in the latters’ hands.

Madelyn took a step in front of Asteria, and activated her lightsaber. "Stay behind me!" She stepped forward and swung at the trooper's legs-

Barriss lifted her arms as the streams of metal were fired at her, stopping them in mid-air and hurling them back at those who fired them. She tried looking for a solution to both of her problems, the first being the walker and the second being the three Brutetroopers. An idea came to her, though she knew that it would take a lot from her.

Reaching out, Barriss grabbed onto the walker with the Force and pulled on it. As it fell back, she grabbed onto the Brutetroopers with the Force as well and made sure that they were in its path. The walker collapsed on top of the Brutetroopers and Barriss could hear crunching sounds from beneath the metallic mass. If it didn't kill the Brutetroopers, it at least immobilized them for the moment. Barriss fell on her knees, her exhaustion starting to show. But despite how she was weakening, Barriss was determined to do all she could while she was still able. As long as she had the ability to help, she was going to use it.

"I am one with the Force and the Force is with me," Barriss whispered, encouraging herself to keep going as she stood up.

The reflected streams of course rebounded off the beskar and the walker toppled again but not before blowing apart one of the grounded command shuttles. The Brutetroopers were trapped for the moment -

But a terrible pain wracked Barriss. She’d completely overdone it now. She has not rested fully since she’d first left Bonadan, and now she was suffering for it.

As for Madelyn, the Brutetrooper lifted his leg to catch the hit on his shin armor, and then threw a fist at her cheekbone, slamming the blow into her -

Even as Mirta dove head first and pushed the enemy over. Her little blade appeared and she stabbed into an armour seam, and then another, and another, even as the man protected his neck -

A knee came up and pushed Mirta off, and he pointed his cannon arm at her as he sat up, one arm hanging useless, the opposite leg not responding -

Madelyn staggered back as the blow hit her, and she nearly fell over. She righted herself, and watched as Mirta brutally attacked the man. She certainly reminded Madelyn of Boba Fett, and she moved closer as Mirta was pushed off and targeted.

She felt a flurry of the force around her and the need to protect Mirta, so she threw out her hand with the force behind it at the Brutetrooper; wanting to knock him and the canon off balance and away from her family and their friends. "You should pick on someone your own size!"

Barriss winced when she felt that pain. She was used to pain, of course. But this was even worse than usual. Though she knew that she needed to rest, she couldn't. Not now, not when she was needed most.

When she noticed a struggling Brutetrooper arm sticking out from underneath the fallen walker, Barriss got an idea. It wasn't necessarily an idea that her old master would approve of, far from it. However, she didn't have many choices. So she knelt next to the fallen walker and placed her hands on the Brutetrooper arm. Barriss closed her eyes and focused on the Force. Earlier she had given her own strength to Madelyn, Finn, and Eleanor. She knew that it was possible to do the opposite, to tap into someone's strength and take it from them. She'd always been hesitant to try this ability though, since she knew that it was dangerous and that it leaned toward the dark side.

Soon Barriss began to feel the energy draining from the Brutetrooper and being transferred to her. As this happened, the terrible pain left Barriss. She made sure to only take what she needed, leaving the Brutetrooper definitely weakened but still alive. Barriss would still need to rest afterward, but it was a good enough solution for now as she stood back up.

The Brutetrooper collapsed, the one Barriss had drained, and the walker sagged on the Brutetroopers, crushing them. It was over; she had succeeded. The battle was modulating, a back and forth occurring, but here and now, the Resistance rear was secure -

Especially when Madelyn's Force blow sent the Brutetrooper flying back into the wreckage that had until a moment ago been the sight of the New Resistance Army's Last Stand. Mirta watched as he sailed into the debris, and then hung on a piece of shrapnel that now protruded from his neck.

Mirta winced, and sagged to the floor.

"Can we not do that again?"

For Barriss, there was a dark miasma filling her now, indicating how dangerous it was for her to dabble in these waters; her balance was precarious, her strength in the Light not yet certain.

Madelyn of course had the news from the droids. "Finished! Leg fixed!"

Madelyn shook her head, amused at Mirta's remark. She went over and helped her to her feet. "Tell that to the First Order." She looked over as the droids told her Eleanor's leg was fixed, and glanced at Mirta.

"Let's go."

Barriss didn't think much about her actions. Yes, it wasn't a very Jedi-like thing to do. But it was a very pragmatic thing and this was war. In war Barriss knew that she had to be pragmatic, especially since she couldn't save everyone. Instead she could save as many as she could and that meant taking lives when necessary. She didn't like it, nor did she drain that Brutetrooper out of hate or anger. Only necessity. Maybe she was just trying to justify her actions, but she couldn't let guilt hold her back. Not now. So she did what she thought she had to.

Sighing to herself, Barriss decided to go check up on Eleanor. She figured that right now Madelyn might need her, so that was where she would be. Especially since the Resistance rear was secure for the moment. And thanks to the Brutetrooper's strength, she would be ready if the rear was breached again...

TAG: @Sinrebirth @TheSilentInfluence

 

IC: Rey
Mountain temple, Mortis

Rey watched hm, poised for an attack but hopeful for none. This was how she managed to stay on her feet as Kylo Ren shoved into the space between them, pushing her back several meters with a blast of energy. Skidding to a quick stop, she resisted the anger that flashed within.

"I'm stronger than Anakin Skywalker. Stronger than his son." He told her.

The Jedi let loose a long sigh and slowly shook her head. “So we’re back to this.” After a poignant pause, Rey regained the ground she lost, defiantly moving closer once more and raising her chin to gaze softly towards his masked visage. “‘Let the past die’ – do you remember telling me that?”

Her voice trails off as a memory dashed its way through her thoughts, seemingly out of nowhere – part of the vision she had when she had laid her hand upon Luke’s lightsaber, in the basement of Maz’s castle on Takodana. The sheets of rain and darkness both atmospheric and mental, driving fear and confusion into every part of her as she stared at the towering man she had thought a monster, and his henchmen guarding his back. The terror she had felt at that time conjured a ghostly chill that ran down her spine, but then it vanished into nothing.

She straightened, shaking off the lingering oddness that stayed behind.

“Let go of them… Ben. Let. Go.”

And then Rey did something she wholly didn’t expect herself to do, but next thing she knew, she was glancing down at her outstretched hand. It was held much in the same way he had offered his once, though she had rejected him.

Her eyes traveled back to where she imagined his were, staring back at her. She pictured them so vividly, recalling how rich and vibrant they had been the last time she had looked into them with only mere inches separating their faces. Much as they had then, her own spoke of many things she couldn't say aloud. Many things.

Rey took a breath, raised her arm further, and reached for him. And waited.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

OOC: A combo with @Sinrebirth

IC: Agent Bernhardt Johnson, Agent Smith
Location: The Capitol, Coruscant

Johnson took his earpiece out as the Smith's moved to attack. Reports were coming in of Resistance fighter craft attacking the Capital but it was only going to distract him.

The Smith's were moving towards him in formation, Johnson would have to try and uncover the weak link in the chain.

A blast rocked the Capitol, Johnson tried to keep himself planted….and the Smith's fell into a mess. He would have smirked if he was in the mood.

Two had made it, he swung an elbow up to block the high attack and a leg out to sweep the low kick away.

The two Agents wheeled away, and then a third rushed up and slammed an open palm into his chest, propelling Johnson backwards -

The first two were nudged aside by another two, and behind them, four Agents leapt into the air in various poses of 'fist raised, ready to smash down when they landed' -

Johnson took the blow on his chest feeling the air rush out of him as the blow hit. He staggered back but kept his feet.

With the four Smith's coming down upon him there was no way he could dodge, not with so many of them at the front and to the sides. So he would have to push on.

He charged forward slamming one fist each into the Smith in front so hopefully he would stagger backwards. It would mean he would have to dive into the melee but maybe those four Smith's up above would smash into the floor instead of him.

The Smith did tumble back - and for a brief moment was just another tech, nameless and irrelevant... and not trained for martial arts. The four fell atop him, pending the man's neck at a bad angle when they crushed him on one of the desks.

Another Smith grabbed a monitor from his console and threw it -

Another yanked a chair from under a desk and swung it like a bat as he rushed up to Johnson's side -

And now Smith was playing dirty. Cute.

Johnson decided to duck this time but turned his duck into a low dive forward so hopefully the chair would swing into thin air and the monitor would miss him.

The dive would also serve as a flying tackle to try and knock any of the Smith's off balance.

His dive took him into a Smith, but the man managed to steady himself and drove an elbow into the back of Johnson's neck -

Even as the chair clattered to the floor and the monitor smashed into the bulkhead, raining sparkling debris to the floor -

The downed techs were standing back up, and not a single of the fourteen opponents was unconscious or stopped yet -

Johnson took the blow to the head and it hurt, not as much as it probably would if the real Smith had done it.

He turned it into a roll and moved back up onto one knee. Only to see the Smith's that had been knocked down were getting back up.

Physicality isn't working, time for the blasters..

He reached back behind his back and pulled his blaster out quickly and began to fire towards the Smith's. He didn't want to kill these techs but now he had no choice.

There were three dead in a moment, collapsed and revealed to be just techs again. In the time it took for them to be shot, the next three had bundled Johnson, a Smith to each arm and another lifted two hands up, linked into a fist and slammed them down -

Three down but Johnson paid the price for it as he was bundled down to the ground.

Hard.

Johnson felt the air go out of him completely, nearly blacking out with impact. The injuries he had taken during the day were catching up with him and his body now ached.

He went slack, the blaster dropping out of his hand. He still had the one in his holster but a Smith was on each arm now.

Johnson knew in his heart that he'd lost. There was no cavalry coming over the nearest hill. Not unless Rose had gotten away and managed to do something. She was the only one who could probably destroy the jammer now.

Johnson tried to use his legs to get up but there were three Smith's on him now.

Get up Bernhardt…

Johnson tried again, no luck.

GET UP BERNHARDT!

The weight was too much on his pained body. He had fought to the end...but Smith had bested him.

Come on Rose, work your magic..

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

OOC: Combo with @Sinrebirth

IC: Barriss Sunrider

Barriss could tell that the others knew. It was obvious to them, even Asteria. She had taken life from another to sustain herself and she was exposed by the Force. However, Barriss could not regret her decision. She had done what she needed to do, though it wasn't ideal.

Barriss continued to help the wounded to her best ability, though she had lost track of Trace in the process. She tried to avoid Eleanor and Madelyn, feeling like she could not face them at the moment. Not when they could see right through her and look at the darkness inside. It was obvious now that Barriss would never be completely free of the dark side's influence, which was why she neither identified herself as a Jedi or a Sith to Savara. Because Barriss was truly neither. She was something different, something that she had given a label to: Sunrider. Maybe that label would change, but for now it was good as any and would have to do.

Barriss could recognize both the presences of Savara and Lorl Ren, who she remembered as the Knight who had hurt Madelyn. They were not far and Barriss realized that she could confront them, especially with her understanding of the darkness giving her an advantage that not many others had. Those two were undeniably a threat, both to the Resistance and to Madelyn's family. The Knights of Ren could not be allowed to continue existing. Not with so many lives at risk.

So Barriss snuck off, leaving Eleanor in command of the Resistance's rear. She trusted Madelyn's group to handle things fine without her, just like she had trusted Finn to lead the charge against the First Order. They were good people. Barriss tried, but she would always stumble.

Yet she would also always get back up.

Sneaking off worked, leaving Eleanor to handle matters. The newly arrived portion of the First Order army was focused on encircling Finn, but that as, also, a concern for him and his forces.

That being said, as Barriss picked her way through the battle, she would spy a pair of droids hiding in the chaos. Whether she recognized Threepio as the former droid of Padme Amidala, or Artoo as the old counterpart of Anakin Skywalker, who could say. But, at very least, she would notice them, and they were cowering, and they were a curious part of her past.

The dark side of the Force curdled at the base of the Capitol building, on the far side of the Resistance army, and the crumbling defenders of the Imperial Boulevard.

That was where Lorl and Savara Raine were.

Barriss certainly did notice both droids. She did not recognize the protocol droid, but she did know the astromech much to her own surprise. After all, Artoo was not just a Anakin Skywalker's old droid but was also a friend of Ahsoka Tano as well. She had seen Ahsoka with Artoo a few times, though she wasn't certain it that was really Artoo or just a droid that looked like him. Barriss figured that the latter was more likely, because what were the chances that the astromech had survived for decades and just happened to be here now? Then again, the Force tended to work in mysterious ways.

But whether it was the same droid or not, it didn't matter. Even if Artoo by some chance recognized her. She had to focus on the task at her hand. Her mission. Barriss would reach Lorl and Savara through the shadows, hiding her presence and going unnoticed by the preoccupied First Order defenders. She had the knowledge of an assassin, after all. It had served her well in the past and it would certainly serve her well now.

Artoo Detoo did react, and he rocked on his feet. Threepio stood upright. "An assassin?"

He cringed again as a blaster bolt nearly skipped off his golden head.

Another shrill. "No, not an assassin?" He turned to look the way of Barriss.

"Mistress Offee! This is a pleasant surprise! Why, I am so very glad that Artoo restored my erased memories or I would have never recognized you!"

Artoo blatted for her attention.

Barriss paused when he heard the droid's voice. She turned around to face them, giving the duo a closer look. She still didn't quite recognize the protocol droid, but the astromech was definitely Artoo. For some reason the Force had indeed decreed that Barriss should cross paths with Anakin Skywalker's old droid once again.

"It's Barriss Sunrider now," she corrected. "Not Offee. Not anymore. And I'm sorry, though I do know your companion..." She gestured toward Artoo. "...I don't think I remember you."

"Sunrider!" Threepio was most impressed. "A student of history I think! Nomi Sunrider was one of the greatest Grandmasters of her time! After Odan-Durr, but before Vandar Tokare."

Artoo whistled a sigh.

"I am See-Threepio, human cyborg relations, and fluent in over six million forms of -"

Artoo interrupted. They were in a battle.

"Introductions are important!"

The little astromech rocked again, impatient, asking if Barriss was returning as a Jedi to serve in the Resistance.

Barriss glanced down at the astromech, wondering how much he knew about her betrayal and how she had framed Ahsoka.

"No, not as a Jedi," she admitted. "I haven't been a Jedi in... a long time. I'm something else. But I am here to help the Resistance. And that's what I'm doing now." She looked toward the Capitol building. "Something that only I can do."

Artoo tweetled, querying what it was she could do, when she wasn't a Jedi anymore.

"Are you a Sith, Mistress Sunrider?" Threepio asked cautiously.

Barriss shook her head. "No... never. But I think that the galaxy is a bit more complicated than just Jedi and Sith. However, there is a Sith on-planet. Or at least someone claiming to be Sith. And she's with a Knight of Ren. I have to face them and... do what I have to before they hurt anyone else." She thought of the lives lost on Bonadon and of Madelyn's pain. "No matter what, they have to be stopped." Barriss also knew that there was another Knight in orbit, which was why she had to act now. If the three of them were together...

"She?" Threepio echoed, while Artoo sounded suspicious. He transmitted a hologram of Savara Raine.

"This woman, Mistress Sunrider?" the protocol droid emphasized.

Barriss' eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, you know who this woman is?"

"Vestara Khai, alias Savara Raine," Threepio confirmed. “A dark side terrorist who caused no end of trouble. Wanted for the deaths of 20,000 civilians on Sarnus, as well as the murder of Jedi Knight Natua Wan, Master Skywalker was investigating her whereabouts when the Order’s Temple was destroyed."

"She hasn’t been seen for over ten years, so for her to return at all is a worry," Threepio sagged. "But it seems as if every war comes down to more Sith turning up."

Artoo released a musical rumble of worry.

"20,000 deaths..." Barriss whispered to herself, worried by this revelation. She frowned. "Vestata Khai, huh? Sounds like someone who has to be stopped. Thanks for letting me know who I'm up against."

Barriss turned away from the droids and focused on where she needed to go. "May the Force be with me," she whispered. Not wanting to waste any more time talking with Artoo and Threepio, Barriss departed. She slipped into the shadows and made her way toward her destination...

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

Abaddon
Smuggler's Moon

Abaddon ignored Salla before eventually shaking his head. The older man merely remained leaning against a wall as the buzz roared around him. It was good that Lando had confirmed that the mission to Coruscant was a go. Otherwise, Abaddon would have killed him and returned to Geonosis. Probably. There was some excited interest brewing in the belly of the Outer Rim's Champion from being in the midst of galactic turmoil and impending battle. Maybe...he would not return so quietly to Geonosis.

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

Rhoen Aquilla
Coruscant

The battle raged around him, more fighters launched, more ships jumped in, he kept focused on what mattered. Keeping her safe. The pair of fighters flew close to the hull of the massive super laser equipped star destroyer. Together they picked off bombers trying to make their runs. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a Destroyer come in and be immediately destroyed. Though that didn't stop another ten jumping in flooding the space with more fighters, more bombers more threats.

One thing at a time.

Rhoen wasn't some rookie pilot just being thrust into the fray. He knew that getting caught up in the numbers, getting intimidated by the danger swirling around. With a breath he kept a steady hand and just kept fighting. His cannons opened up, tearing through bombers, fighters, and whatever else came into his path.

Right before his eyes a bright flash of turbolasers evaporating a B-Wing that was once right in front of him. He turned hard, changing course to avoid any more incoming fire. He felt his heart rate spike as a glancing blow struck the Aleph he'd been following. His hand tightened, he felt a pain in his chest.

"You alright…" was all the words he would give himself.

"Fine, just a little cooked…" Syal replied. "Our Astromech is fixing it."

"I'll cover you." He dropped close to her watching his scanners setting his shields more to cover her, than himself.

As fighters came in he thought nothing of putting his fighter in the path of danger. He flew out ahead of the wounded Aleph snapping around and putting lasers into a TIE Hunter that was closing in. Two more took its place his hands flew over the instrument panel setting his shields behind him taking the hits on his heightened protection.

"How we coming?" He growled out as more shots splashed against his shields stripping them away bit by bit.

"Almost there…"

That wasn't what he needed to hear but, he could hold here for only a few more moments...then he would have to act.

TAG: @Sinrebirth