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

OOC: Actions GM Approved

IC: Lord Vicrul Ren
Coruscant

As Vicrul sped through rotating and weaving his craft to avoid the chaos of the battle.

"My Lord, we are ready to fire but it is becoming impossible to do so without destroying friendly ships."

He grunted within his Whisper, the ship particularly gifted at making it through the mess that was this battlefield. His eyes cast down as he saw Lorl call out to their position.

"Do no more than is necessary, but if sacrifices are required then so be it. Destroy all hostile ships, do not aim for any ground forces"

The resistance needed to be firmly crushed here and now, such insubordination, such betrayal. They all deserved to die. His ship landed where Lorl was standing, Vicrul quickly exiting the craft as he gazed around the battlefield. His eyes closed for a breath moment before opening once more.

Flashes of memories of his breathe being slain. In truth, he was not angry that Hattaska had be slain because he cared for the man. He was angry because he had not been the one to do it. He turned to Lorl, a calm madness gazing into his fellow Knight.

"We shall be reborn in the blood of the Resistance, come, brother, let us seize our fate"

And with that he withdrew his beskads, still fully clad in his beskar armor, he made his way straight for the Resistance army. His body twirling and swirling as he cut fighter and soldier. The terrorists falling by his blades. His mind shut off, his body acting not with thought but just pure instinct. Pure, unfettered rage. He was fully committed to slaying every last of them if he had to. There would be no escape for them, only the escape of death.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Eleanor Magnus
Recovering

It comes as a shock to be named commander, so soon after waking up from losing her leg. She turns to look at her family, can feel the battle rage around them through the force, and can sense the darkness Barriss used, It's overwhelming all at once and she felt like things were becoming too much.

Madelyn placed a hand on Eleanor's shoulder, "We will win Eleanor." She reassured her, "Just breath for a minute and think." She paused. "You can get out of any situation, remember?" She stepped back, and turned towards the others. "You have all of us behind you." Madelyn turned to look at Eleanor again. "What's the plan of attack Commander Magnus?"

Eleanor swallowed hard, and looked over. "They will not overun our position." She said calmly. Eleanor let out a short breath, and wished she could get up and fight. "We should try to get behind them if we can. Distract them away from the medical ship and our other cruisers. There may be many of them, but wars and battles have been fought with more impossible odds." She tried to sit up a bit, more confident, putting the headset on that she had been handed by the aid. "I'm getting in contact with out leaders-" She looked for Barriss and caught her mother's eye as she realised she was gone. "-I might not be able to do much, but I can give a heck of a speech."

Eleanor let out another short breath, activated her headset, "This is Commander Eleanor Magnus, does anyone read me?"

Tag: @Sinrebirth @CosmoHender

 

IC: Rey
Mountain temple, Mortis

Rey gasped lightly as she entered Kylo’s mind, his thoughts dark and cold, swirling with echoes and names she didn’t know, yet because she was within his memories would seem as if she always had.

Hattaska. Vicrul, Ren. Oochi… her parents.

All within a curtained tent, her mother and father clearly terrified and angry. Neither of them gave in to the relentless interrogating, the pressure Oochi was giving for them to tell him where she was. Their child. Understanding all she did now, after everything, she knew exactly why Palpatine’s henchmen were searching her out, and how her bloodline flowed through her father – a cast-aside clone of the treacherous Emperor.

Through Kylo’s eyes she watched them, so young in their own right, standing their ground against what they had to see would result in their demise. They had died for her to live.

Rey expected the scene to unravel here, because it was where her vision had halted nearly a decade before, but instead it continued on.

Her mind began to race as she watched her father go down, Oochi’s blade pulling out of his gut as quickly as he had shoved it in. He collapsed, breathing weakly and cradled by her mother as she cried, her cheeks red with sorrow and rage.

The Jedi felt her throat go raw, a lump forming as she witnessed Kylo igniting his blade.

No.

He moved closer to her parents huddled on the dirt floor, both eyes opening wide as he approached, she an unwilling passenger unable to stop what had long since passed. Rey saw what would happen before it did.

With a single stroke of his blade, Kylo slashed out at them, extinguishing their lives in an instant. And in the Force, or through their connection now – most likely both – she sensed his pride. His feeling of accomplishment, his desire to please his Master. No remorse, no thought of consequences. An icy void blossomed within him, opening deep enough to be irreversible.

She had been… wrong. So wrong.

“So you remember…” He stated as she was thrust back to the present, standing a small distance away from Kylo, within the entry to the mountain temple on Mortis.

"Snoke made his orders clear. Find anyone who could destroy him. It didn't take us long to find you."

Rey was panting, her hands trembling slightly. She said nothing.

"You blame me for your life on Jakku. You should thank me for it. You were safe."

His tone, self-righteous and proud, pushed her to react at last.

“Thank you?” Rey spat, her face tight and twisted. “THANK you?? You play games with the one part of me that still wounds. You…” she paused, searching for her words and fighting to control her chaotic emotions. She had loved Ben, the dyad between them showing her parts of him she had been so certain were real, however buried they were beneath the endless lies and empty promises Snoke – Palpatine - had manipulated him with.

“You lied to me.”

Her voice had dropped to a tight whisper, though she knew he would hear. Unable to look upon him any longer, she tore her eyes away and looked at her saber hilt still held fast within her grasp. Her fingers twitched over the circular activation gear.

“Murderous snake,” Rey added through clenched teeth, recalling her words she had used to insult him within one of their many shared conversations. “You lied.”

Mortis is lying, she thought suddenly, her breath catching. Was any of this real? What was the truth anymore? It felt as though she were slowly drowning, unaware which way was up. It made her feel trapped.


TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

A combo with @HanSolo29

IC: Tirran Huxley & Vice Chancelor and others in the deal
Arriving at Zirulast, Cresh Station

Cresh station was one of those wonderfully abandoned things that had been salvaged in system, and in a system of like minded business people it was not hard in a time of plenty to find privacy. And so, their two ships arrived to a hangar that wasn't even policed by a customs officer.

Tirran waited, he had a lone droid with no visible weapons at the bottom of his ships ramp. Waiting for the buyer to approach. If he didn't come Tirran had a Whipid he needed to see about a planet to buy under an assumed name.

The Vice-Chancellor did indeed arrive as planned.

Departing the TIE Marauder with his stormtrooper escort in tow, Aryan Graul breathed in the dry air of Zirulast and immediately grimaced. While it was an improvement over the bitter cold of Wavett, the arid atmosphere would wreak havoc on his wellbeing. He could already feel it scratching at his throat, inducing a soft cough as he planted his cane on the permacrete surface and hobbled forward.

Under these circumstances, he surmised that it would probably benefit both parties if they conducted the exchange as quickly as possible—Aryan’s eager anticipation notwithstanding, of course.

While the journey here had been a grueling one as he continued to struggle with his personal demons, the proximity to his goal allowed him to finally pull himself out of his despondent state—if only temporarily. His desire to obtain the Holocron had rapidly superseded everything else, including his apprehension about leaving Lyz behind.

And so, as Aryan approached the broker, he inclined his chin to exude confidence. "Tirran Huxley," he proclaimed in greeting, a smile spreading over his features despite the unusual nature of the creature inside the cylindrical tank.

A Gallusian? That was certainly unexpected.

Then again, perhaps the feeling was mutual; Huxley probably hadn’t envisioned his client as a tired old fool.

"I am a man of my word," the Vice-Chancellor continued after pushing that thought from his mind. "I believe we have business to attend to?"

"Yes. Business. Are you ready to pay the discussed prices or did you come to haggle?" Tirran asked with a little side twist as he looked up at the man using a cane. "If you want to haggle troopers are an odd way to go about it."

A wry grin pulled at the Vice-Chancellor’s features; the Gallusian was an astute observer. That would make his task difficult, though not impossible. He would need to tread very carefully. And yet, if he was honest with himself, he actually appreciated the opportunity to interact with someone who understood the art of nuance—someone who was compatible with him on an intellectual level. It was surprisingly…stimulating.

"I apologize for the intrusion," Aryan casually waved to his escort, silently ordering them to stand down as he proceeded forward. "They are merely for my own personal protection. Peace of mind, really. One can never be too careful under the current political climate."

He exhaled softly through his nose and came to stand before the broker, leaning heavily on his cane for support. "I do have all the items in my possession, as agreed upon," Aryan began smoothly, trailing off for dramatic effect. Up until this point, he had been uncertain about Huxley’s willingness to negotiate, but now that he had breached the subject first, the Vice-Chancellor was more than happy to oblige.

Of course, he wouldn’t dare reveal that he was desperate, which made him more inclined to accept the transaction based on the terms they had previously arranged. That would remain his secret for now.

"However, we are dealing with damaged goods," the old politician stated after a moment, his brow lifting perceptively. "That can be inherently dangerous for an artifact of this nature. It requires the utmost care, which I believe constitutes some compensation. I will still supply the droids and the Admiral’s Medallion as restitution for the damages incurred to your personal property, but perhaps we can agree on a monetary compromise?

"Or if that is not agreeable to you," he gestured with his free hand, spreading it wide, "what about an additional component?"

The Vice-Chancellor then canted his head, studying Huxley under a crucial eye. "Are you familiar with Refrain?"

A pleased scrunching of his eyes paused as it turned into a deep hardness of consideration. This was one that was willing to haggle, but came at it at an odd angle. The loss of money was not much of a thing to him, the medallion and ability to travel freely were much more valuable than the money. Although only a fool would turn away a lucrative deal of being an addicts supplier, that or else a wise man.

Tirran bobbed in his tank a few moments, "I cannot supply you with 'happy memories' with euphoria on demand. I do not move in those circles. I can establish connections for you, or connect you to those that can act as intermediaries. Would that be equitable compensation for the repaired status of the holocron?"

Aryan pursed his lips, inwardly cringing at Huxley’s assertion. It was an unpleasant reminder of how far he had fallen due to the ravages of addiction. He knew that he needed help, though it wasn’t always so easy, especially when the potent drug served as a controller for his ailing mental state. One day he would break free from this burden, but for now, he had to manage it to the best of his ability.

And as long as Hux held an exclusive claim on the market, the Gallusian was his most viable option.

"If you can guarantee that these...intermediaries are not under the influence of the First Order, then I’m willing to strike a deal," Aryan replied carefully, his expression hardening to safeguard his emotions. "I wish to remain outside the network, as it were."

The older human spoke in the vague manner the truth of any with power and position, they wanted what they wanted no matter the law or consequences of it all, and they wanted no trail connecting them to what they were doing. Fine and dandy, dandy and fine. "I believe they will live up to your expectations, they will likely charge more due to anonymity that your situation requires. I will leave those details up to you and they to hash out."

Doing a few things on his private tank screen he created a list of contacts and methods which were encoded on a data-rod which a droid brought out along with the large wine carry case he had them transfer the holocron into.

"If that meets your approval, I believe we have an accord. Exchange and we both go on our ways. If you ever require anything else you now know how to get in contact with me." Tirran burbled the ancient and common line of attempting to seal the deal.

“Of course, I look forward to any future proceedings,” Aryan replied coolly, canting his head to regard the strange creature. “If good fortune continues to find me, then I imagine there will be many more to come.”

A wistful smile stretched across his tired features as he rocked back on his heels, relaxing into his own now that his prize was practically within reach. As if on cue, his eyes shifted marginally toward the wine carton, his gaze reflecting both desire and expectation. He remained that way for several tense seconds before idly lifting a hand over his shoulder to provide a signal to his stormtrooper escort.

Two armored soldiers immediately stepped forth to assist him with the canister while two more worked diligently to offload a hover skiff from the TIE Marauder. It contained several packaged crates emblazoned with Aurebesh markings. Each one housed a different model of combat, protocol, or survey droid, personally requested by Huxley himself as part of their agreement.

As the troopers ushered them forward, Aryan glanced down at his datapad and transferred the rest of the monetary funds to a datachip. From there, the Gallusian would be able to easily deposit the money into his personal accounts or however he wished to allocate his reward. After all, that wasn’t for him to decide.

To complete the deal, the Vice-Chancellor then reached inside his overcoat and removed a bronze and silver coin with intricate designs etched along its perimeter. Aryan pinched the Admiral’s Medallion between thumb and forefinger and briefly examined it in the pale light from the distant sun before closing his fist around it and shuffling forward.

"I believe I owe you this," he gestured behind him to the skiff and then placed both the medallion and the datachip into Huxley’s droid hand. "Everything is accounted for and to the original specs requested. It has been a pleasure, Tirran Huxley."

Aryan lowered his chin and studied the automated appendage a final time, his lip turning up slightly as he clasped it to seal the deal. "Thank you."

Dealing with the odd human gestures of grasping limbs to seal a deal was an annoyance, and the sense of vulnerability it gave Tirran was one he never would be accustomed to. Still it was good to get a deal closed and his scattered assets built further up as he took the payments. The Admiral disc would be sealed in a carry container that would make sure it could not send any signals to be tracked, and the other goods was quickly loaded by his own droids.

Speaking the new equipment, it was time to go see a thing about a planet!

TAG: @Sinrebirth , @HanSolo29

 

IC: Agent Bernhardt Johnson
Location: The Capitol, Coruscant...getting assimilated

Rose wasn't coming, or hadn't done anything to deal with the armour around the blasted jammer.

Smith had gotten Johnson right where he wanted him and now he was going to join the ranks of this mad plan that Smith had concocted. Even if Smith became a part of him he would fight back like he did against the Agent personality within him. He wasn't going to give up until Smith, hell the whole First Order went down and died.

A wet hand from the Smith above him began to press into his chest, what the hell was that on his hand?

Lucretia’s voice appeared in his mind as if she was talking to him directly. But it was full of techno babble and it was like she was having some fireside chat with someone about science and the inner workings of the Agent program. Well about Smith anyway. Was he seeing memories of the tech above him? That she was talking to this tech about bioweapons and controlling worlds?

The wetness was now on his face in two places now, the Smith’s were really taking the advantage now. And more from Lucretia it seemed like she was talking about ways the First Order were being beaten by the Resistance and in his mind his personality was being eaten by this Smith hive mind. He would never think of himself as an our, he was nobody’s minion even though as an Agent he was the First Order’s.

More techno babble from Lucretia something about a virus that seems to attack certain parts of the host's brain. Did Lucretia create this? Of course she was part of the program and in a big way after she was chosen to handle Johnson’s conversion into an Agent personally. And it wouldn't surprise him if she created a virus to make him comply, become a full part of the program. Or in this case to pull him back into the program.

And then….a conversation she had with him? He couldn't remember especially since he was mostly focused at the time on holding on to memories of Ilsa, dreams of escape and the pain. The pain was the biggest one as he was tortured over and over and over again. And the fact that Lucretia said she loved him, that what she was doing was just for science and that she wanted to escape with him. Although at the time Johnson mused she probably got off on him being tortured and his mind continuously shattered.

Maybe her plan was for him to be infected like this after all. To bring him back into the First Order clutches if he tried to escape. Although the puzzling thing was why Lucretia and Ilsa would work together. Especially since Lucretia knew she couldn't have Johnson.

But then a voice...a hoarse voice. Lucretia saying she was sorry. Was it a memory of his? Or had she just arrived and was watching him become assimilated and could do nothing about it? Or knew that she had him back now?

Well she was going to be in for a shock. He wasn't going to fall straight into her arms and walk off into the sunset with her, happily ever after. She had questions to answer and how could he trust someone who planned to get you out but then ran away? With Johnson thinking she was dead, had no way out and eventually decided to comply.

Ilsa….memories surfaced of his now former lover. Whom he had killed. They had forgiven each other but her loss still stung him. To be reunited only to be torn apart thanks to the First Order and maybe him wanting to continue the fight with the Resistance. But he had no other choice. He had to make things right. And even though he would be part of Smith he would still do what he could. Smith and the First Order would never win. And he would die to see freedom restored.

Ilsa my love, if I fail to come back as me, I will make sure I die before I become fully assimilated. And I will join you and be together once more.

The word ours kept pinging around in his brain but before he sank into the black he had some mental words for his fellow Agent.

I eradicated the Agent personality. I will eradicate you. You are the virus and I will make sure that a cure is found...and you are wiped out.

My name is Bernhardt Johnson.

Former Agent and Resistance fighter.

I am a survivor.

And your time and the First Order’s is running out….

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

Rhoen Aquilla
Coruscant

"How we looking Lead?" He called out as his shields became dangerously low. He'd have to break off quick but he needed to know she was alright.

"We're good, now go evasive."

"Yes mam'." He snapped off into a banking turn ducking down to avoid some incoming fire. His shields were still recovering and he'd have to dance for a little while until they recovered. Deep in the Fuzzball that space was hard to find but, Rhoen could find it. His movements were erratic giving anyone chasing him quite the challenge if they wanted to try and tag him. Feniting to starboard before pulling hard to port. He wasn't racking up kills, that was not his goal. His goal was just to survive. Every now and again he would check his sensors, making sure she was still flying. She couldn't exactly keep up with his twists and turns but she could sense which way he was going. His flashy flying was drawing some eyes, getting some attention sent his way. This gave the perfect opening for Syal to line them up for destruction.

"Shields good," Rhoen said, pulling harshly on the stick and pulling into a steep climb before cutting his throttle and dipping down, letting another TIE hunter fly past him. With a few rapid fire shots he took it apart. Checking his sensors again his board was filled with red, with green laser blasts flying this way and that around him. The numbers were still too great no matter how many he shot down there were always more, always a dozen more.

"I'm hit!" Syal called out, breaking the calm that Rhoen had settled into.

"Syal!?" He cried coming around hard and tearing apart the Whisper that dared to harm the one of the few people in the galaxy he cared about. "Syal are you ok?" Her guns had gone quiet, Zueb must be out. The weight pressed down on him. There were too many, no matter how many he killed there were always more, his muscles were tired, his brow beading with sweat. How long had he been fighting, how many had fallen, how much longer could he keep doing this?

"I'm fine...Zueb is out." Syal replied. Rhoen dropped in next to her. Without Zueb her firepower was greatly reduced. All Rhoen could do was fight like hell to keep her safe.

His cockpit filled with red, warning of a missile launch. Turning hard but it was just a bit late. The missile detonated sending a jolt through him and stripping away his shields again. Laser blasts followed it up forcing him to turn hard. More blasts rain down one strikes him shaking the craft and causing a stabilizer to come loose. Another hit, and his upper right engine began to fail. A third that sent his helmet crashing into the side of the cockpit.

He took a few breaths trying to get control, to bring himself back down Syal was still close doing what she could. He looked to her smiling.

If they were going to go, it might as well be together…

Then out of nowhere a cloud of fighters of all shapes and sizes flooded the battlefield.

Could this be it, was this their end…

The mish-mash opened fire on the First Order giving them some room to breathe.

Seemed today was not their day to die...

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Tirran Huxley
Arkinnea, Expansion Region

Exiting his ship he spotted the old Whiphid, the great big hairy monstrosity was a credit to the surivval of his kind. Most likely had inherited the world or killed someone for it. He would have to check the laws on that planet a little bit more later. It was old as well, leaning heavily on his staff, despite the alien nature and hairy wookiee-esk body wearing cloths Tirran could still detect some disdain and curiosity as it regarded him.




“So you’ve come to buy my planet.”

"Yes." Tirran simply stated. "I have it on unimpeachable authority that your world has. . .potential. Could you elaborate on that? Why I should buy your world, what I might expect of it?" smacking his lips a few times in his tank he squinted looking up at the behemoth. A hairy land monster was what it really was, but so were others that were dangerous merely if they sat on you in negligence as it would kill you just as surely. What was dangerous with this hairy monster was the same as a wookiee, and the reason why Tirran preferred droids for his helpers - they had tempers.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

Combo with @Sinrebirth

MT-7725 and The Stranger
Kuat Moon

When the Stranger came too, it was under a pile of bloodied and broken corpses on the Kuat Moon. He’d been lost to the melee, to the death, to the violence, and he’d been left by the Knights of Ren.

They had moved on.

He was once again alone.

Surrounded by corpses.

What had awoken him was the sound of servos gyrating, a human in a metal shell; a Mechtrooper.

His eyes flicked open. The orange iris' glowed under the pile of corpses he was covered with. His face, splattered with blood, was covered with a snarl.

Damn it...

The familiar feeling of loneliness followed him, and he lay in silence until he heard the sound of servos grating. Something else was here.

He dragged himself out of the pile of carcasses, and picked himself up, dusting himself off.

The Knights had gone, and now, he had no one to turn to, apart from a Mechtrooper that caught his eye. He squinted his eyes, growling before calling to the mechtrooper.

"You with them Knights?" He grumbled in question.

"I am at the command of the Knights of Ren, Lord, sir." The Mechtrooper hesitated and saluted.

"I saw you come with them to the Kuat moon, but did not know you had fallen here."

He stepped over, servos whirring as he sought to remove a corpse from the Stranger's foot.

The Stranger rubbed his brow, sighing.

"Any idea where they went?" He asked the Mechtrooper, shifting his foot aside to give them space.

He scratched his chin, his salt-and-pepper chin making a distinct scratching sound. He needed a shave, and a good clean, considering he was covered in blood, but that would have to wait.

He needed some kind of lead on his old life, and he had just lost a possible one.

"Um, they pursued the Resistance to Korilev, in the Nirauan system, I understand, my Lord." He watched the man with some bafflement. "But the Chancellor blew up the planet, so the war is over now, I guess?"

The Stranger paused. How long had he been out? He rubbed his eyes, and looked around.

"There has to be a way to get off this place... I need to find someone..."

“I can requisition a transport for a Knight of Ren, of course,” the Mechtrooper went to activate his comms when a message overrode the droids performing cleanup.

A woman appeared, aged but regal, from a dozen holoprojectors.

Princess Leia, giving a speech to the galaxy to rise up. “This is General Leia Organa of the Resistance. The time has come to forge a path to freedom. The forces of oppression have ruled our galaxy for too long. We must join together and fight. Send your fastest ships, all your warriors. Our voices will not be silenced. We can no longer live in the shadow of the First Order. We must step into the light.”

The Mechtrooper hesitated.

The Stranger paused, placing his hand on the hilt of his beskar sword. His orange eyes narrowed, and a frown appeared on his face,

"Tell me, why would this message play from a First Order mechtrooper?"

He scratched his chin with his other hand, waiting for his answer, his suspicion raising.

The Mechtrooper hesitated. "It was an override, I, I don't understand." He tapped his comms, looked at the droids. "It's been everywhere - most of the civilised planets were hit by a beacon signal from Old Republic tech - the Resistance found a way around the jamming, using the Jedi Temple on Coruscant!" He looked up from his comlink, dread in his voice and heart, a fear which deepened as he saw the beskar sword.

"You must believe me, surely!"

The Stranger paused, and offered a reassuring smile, while still keeping a hand on the hilt of his beskar sword.

"Of course, please, call the ship to extract me." The Stranger comfortingly replied. His frown disappeared, and was replaced by an unnatural smile which revealed every one of his jagged teeth.

The Mechtrooper placed a hand on his helmet. “I have a Knight of Ren calling for a ship.”

There was a little kerfuffle of conversation and the trooper snapped back. “I know what I said. He’s right here - he was buried under some of the, um, bodies.” He faltered for a moment.

A sharp response, and the trooper signed off. “A TIE Whisper, Interceptor variant, is on its way, my Lord.”



The Stranger nodded, before he made a quick motion with his arm. The beskar blade was unsheathed, and was sent straight towards the Mechtrooper's neck.

The head slid clean off, staying placed nicely on-top of the standing body, until both collapsed, with the head rolling towards The Stranger's right foot. He kicked it away from him, before cleaning the blade with his left hand, and sheathing by his side once again.

"I take no chances." The Stranger said out-loud. He then looked around, waiting for the arrival of the TIE Whisper.

The Mechtrooper was dead, and as the Whisper booted up, his comms were full of updates. An uprising on Coruscant had sprang up, wrecking havoc upon the First Order, and the galaxy was rumbling in anticipation of the war commencing anew.

There was a sudden pant within the Stranger though. He had not spent much time with the Knights of Ren, but he would feel their deaths anyway.

Hattaska, Jaedec, Ott -

But not Vicrul, nor Lorl.

The Stranger paused in his thoughts, reflecting on this feeling that fell upon him.

A few of the Knights had fallen. They were strong, The Stranger had gathered this much from his short time with them, but not strong enough, as it seemed.

He gathered his thoughts towards the comms. Coruscant, an uprising. With no direction, this was a start. Vicrul and Lorl still lived, perhaps he could find them here.

And so it was to Coruscant he would go.

@Sinrebirth

 

OOC: Combo with @Shadowsun and @Sinrebirth

IC: Barriss Sunrider & Vircul Ren

Battle of Coruscant

Barriss had failed. Again.

She had her opportunity to go after Lorl Ren and Vestara Khai, but she had allowed herself to be distracted by the droids. Now her chance was gone. Vircul Ren was on the planet and Artoo Detoo was dead. All because Barriss had been too late.

Just like how she had been too late to be with Nomi in her final moments as a result of wasting so much time bickering with Xundel. Though it was the troll's fault that Vircul was here, wasn't it? Just like Barriss had predicted, it seemed like Vircul had ditched Xundel the first chance that he got. And now Vircul was here, on Coruscant, leading the First Order against the New Resistance Army. Barriss wasn't surprised and she honestly regretted not trying to finish off the remaining two Knights of Ren when she had the chance, if only there hadn't been the threat of orbital bombardment. Now how many more innocent people were going to die or get hurt because the Knights of Ren had survived the confrontation on Bonadon?

Though the presence of Vircul Ren didn't surprise her, the anger she felt after the death of the astromech droid did. She had never been close to Artoo Detoo, but he was still someone from her past. Someone that not just Anakin Skywalker had cared about, but Ahsoka Tano as well. And Lorl Ren had killed him, just like he had wounded Madelyn back on Bonadon.

However, Barriss did not want revenge. After all, revenge was for Sith. No, what Barriss wanted was justice.

Justice for the dead on Bonadon. Justice for the others that Lorl Ren had murdered. Justice for Madelyn. Justice for Artoo.

So when she was close enough to Lorl Ren, Barriss revealed herself.

"You shouldn't have done that," she told him, her voice calm and her hands on her lightsabers.

Vicrul gazed to the Resistance Army. His malice intending roiling off him in waves. He felt his mind become twisted and broken, the last barriers of his bloodlust madness become unshackled. Once he had fancied himself the tactical reserved one of the Knights of Ren, but now the last recognizable pieces of his human mind were truly slipping.

Ruin...

A half glance to Lorl as he acknowledges his question.

"Shall we finish them off?"

Vicrul did not answer for no answer needed to be given. Lorl could just feel his intent, his bloodlust. Vicrul gazed a look to one he recognized on Bonadon. One that slaughtered one of his brothers. One that would feel the dark justice of the First Order. He looked to Lorl and said one word, his beskads gripped tightly in his hands.

"Together."

The battle lines lunged towards each other.

Vestara singled out Mirta, who stepped in-front of Asteria - the Sith must have seen the Darksaber -

Lorl allowed a grin to emerge from his presence in the Force as he faced one who had slain a brother, and that it was Barriss just flowed perfectly for her -

Amira took a shot at a Brutetrooper even as Rafe and Dade rushed towards Vicrul -

Threepio continued to mourn Artoo, and Finn could only apologize as he reached into the droids head and yanked out part of his core. "The codes Rose needs are on here," he explained, tears in his eyes. "Cover me!"

Chewbacca stepped forward, brandishing a First Order issue rifle that was too small for him but worked anyway -

Vicrul eyes narrowed in frustration, two rushing before him as he sought to support his brother against their enemy. He would not allow the same issue to occur as it had on Bonadan. He would not allow his comrade to fall because he was too occupied with some other obstacle.

With both beskar blades in hand, he rushed forward running to the two that came at him. He kept a mental note of where Lorl and Barriss were as he brought his felt the Force surge through him, emboldening his movements as he came in to kill both men. There blood nothing but a pathway to his own higher purpose.

Barriss saw her opening as Vircul rushed toward Dade and Rafe. While he was distracted, she could leap toward Lorl with her lightsabers and finish this right here...

...getting Dade and Rafe killed in the process. They would be no match against Vircul, she knew that much for sure. Was she really willing to let them die just so she could get a chance to kill Lorl?

No, of course not.

Barriss turned toward Vircul and pushed out with the Force, intercepting him before he reached his targets. If Vicrul was caught unawares, it would in-theory be enough to knock him off his course, but her true goal was to attempt to reposition herself so that she stood between the two members of the Resistance and the deadly Knight of Ren. She ignited her lightsabers, gesturing toward Vicrul with them.

"I know you remember me," she told Vircul. "Surprised that I'm here, in your way just like I was on Bonadon?"

Vicrul could feel the Force Wave barrelling before, instinctively he flicked his hand and another of his own came to meet it, the other intended to have them cancel each other out. He stopped, a more interesting target coming into view, this was exactly what he had wanted for himself and Lorl to face this opponent, nullifying the mistake they had made on Bonadan that had led to the deaths of so many of their brothers.

"I do remember you, filth draws further filth in until it no longer recognizes itself as the dirt that it is."

He remained where he was, his eyes narrowing in anger and disgust, waiting in anticipation for Lorl to come in as support. Together they would finish this. It did not matter whose blood was spilt in Vicrul's rebirth, as long as the blood flowed he would be pleased.

"Impressive," Barrisss told him. "I didn't think I could care so little about what someone could say, but you just proved me wrong."

Vicrul's eyes narrowed in fury as he saw Lorl go off despite his command for them to fight Barriss together. If he found the man after this and he was still alive...well...one can imagine what ill fate awaited him. A tendril of wrath lashing around through the Force directed to his so-called 'brother'.

Traitor

The anger pulsated through him, a steady rhythm of frustrations, slights, and anger that had been building ever onward until this very moment. He gripped his beskads tight till his knuckles turned white, and then in the next instant, he was off like a bolt. Wheeling around with a double slash of his twin beskads coming into Barriss's side, his objective to end this quickly and without mercy. His movements like a demon, the bloodlust haze fully taken over his eyes. He was more monster than human at this point, one that wanted to feast of the death of his enemies and he would. Or die trying.

Barriss' lightsabers were ready for him, blocking his twin blades.

"Abandoned by your own brother?" Barriss asked him as she pushed back. "Your kind can't help but betray each other, can you?"

She was calm, surprisingly calm. Not intimidated by his anger or his bloodlust. She had seen it all before. And she only had only thing to say about it.

"Not impressed."

As Barriss pushed against Vicrul and spoke her slight she would perhaps begin to notice that Vicrul was far, far deeper in the darkness than he had been on Bonadan. In fact, despite her stated 'unimpressive', she may be surprised to sense that sheer amount of strength coming from the dark warrior. She would likely come to find this duel would not be as one-sided as she might have liked, of course, the same could be said for Vicrul.

He would not be pushed back instead while keeping his right arm pressing down to engage her blade he would let his other slip to come into slice into her legs, he knew it was unlikely that he would be able to slice her legs of cleanly, but just a simple wound would suffice. Something to throw her off balance as he would go into the final kill.

Barriss predicted this and she stepped to the side, allowing Vircul's momentum to carry him past her. She took a few steps to place some distance between her and Vircul, studying her opponent.

She recognized he was strong, physically stronger than her. She would not be able to overpower him, just like how trying to overpower Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader had been a futile effort in the past. The best she could do is use his strength and his momentum against him as she tried to hold out.

Barriss sensed his anger, his hatred, his darkness. But aside from that, nothing. And because of that, she found herself pitying Vircul rather than despising him. He had fallen and there was no return from the depth he had plummeted to.

Vicrul grunted in frustration, only building to his mounting emotions. The dark emotion swirling in the air was palpable. As she moved the beskad that was placed firmly against her lightsaber would move with her, traveling down to slice at her hand.

Regardless of the result, he would swivel round with his weapons blow after blow raining down on his opponent. He spoke with each blow, his voice resonating through the air, his once human mind truly lost.

"I am Hate. I am Hunger. I am Chaos. I am Deceit. I am Annihilation. I am Death."
He would have his blood. He would have his vengeance. He did not want this, he needed this.

Her grip loosened on one of her lightsabers and it was knocked aside, rolling across the battlefield and away from her. But Barriss remained determined with her remaining lightsaber, the one that had once belonged to her master. She was beginning to form a plan and right now that meant keeping Vircul focused on her. Which shouldn't be hard enough, since she was no longer dealing with a human mind.

"No," she told him as she blocked his attacks. "You are nothing and the darkness will take you, just like it has taken all others like you."

His eyes flared his mind racing, writhing like a serpent as she continued to block each of his attacks. He leaped back, ceasing the assault for a moment as he surveyed her. His eyes staring like daggers into her own. He was still not strong enough, he still could not dispatch of this foe.

The self-doubting emotions began to creep into his mind, beginning a whirlpool of negative thoughts that wound around him, tightening its coils around him as anguish flowed through him.

"I don't understand." His eyes were cast down, he was not thinking rationally. With his hatred came sadness. With his sadness came pain. Thoughts of his Master, of Lorl, of his fallen brothers, of the parents he had long ago forgotten rushed into his mind.

"Why....why does everyone leave me?" he spoke softly although Barriss would be able to hear him, he looked up to her, his eyes a mixture of grief, hatred, sadness, and anger. His body was tense still very much so on guard.

"What are you going to do? Kill me without mercy like you killed my brother?"

"If I hadn't killed Jaedec, he would have killed me or someone that I cared about just to spite me," Barriss pointed out. "He would have shown no mercy, because that is the reality of war." She gestured to the battle going around them. "I did not enjoy killing your brother. I did it because it was necessary, I fight because it is necessary. So yes, I do intend to kill you. Not because I wish you dead, but because it is necessary. It is necessary for the same reason that everyone leaves you. Because someone with so much anger and hatred has no place in this galaxy. Anger is natural, frustration is natural. But if that is all you have, then you are no longer a person. You are no longer someone who loves and is loved. You are just..." She sighed. "...a thing that kills, hurts, and ruins. You and your brothers have taken so many innocent lives, willingly and joyfully. You think that you care about each other, but you really don't. Lorl left you because ultimately all he cares about is his own vengeance, his own thirst for blood. You do not know how to love, not really. The dark side is a lonely path. I should know."

Vicrul stood silent his eyes cast down as he listened to the woman's words. He gave a slow graceful nod, the emotion swirling around him settling, no it would be accurate to say it was focusing, controlled.

"I do not kill because I enjoy it, I kill because I have to, it is all I have ever known. It was what was expected of me." A pause as he looked upward, the chaos of battle swirling around them as they stood apart in this seemingly calm in the storm.

"I understand my purpose now, I thank you." His head tilted downwards as he met her eyes.

"The Force has set me free. I no longer resent you for killing my brother, but all the same, you must die." His hair whipped about him as he stared intently towards his foe.


There was almost a slight smirk on his grim face.

"My purpose...is to destroy everything"

With that, he leaped at her again, his movements were not that of a wild animal like that of before, no these were precise, thought out, each blow intent on maiming or killing her. His movements were relentless, his energy seemingly endless. His emotions were fueling him, emboldening his movements, the darkness however remained unchanged nay it became darker. A swirling blackhole that wanted to suck in all life and all things.

Barriss was kept on the defensive, managing to hold out but only barely. She seemed to be almost... sad.

"You know, it's a shame," she told him. "For a moment, I almost thought that it wasn't too late for you. Yes, you kill because it's all that you have known and it is what's expected of you. But you do not have to do what is expected of you. There is always a choice to be more, to be more than something that kills and ruins. You don't have to be this. I should know. I have been a Jedi, a fallen Jedi with Sith teachings, an Inquisitor... but now I am none of those things. I have gone against the expectations of my masters, both from the dark and the light."

She referred to Luminara Unduli and Varad Zagg as she stood against his darkness.

"You still don't get it, do you? It is not your purpose to destroy everything. It is your choice. And because of that choice, you stand here alone. And eventually, you will be your own destruction. That is the fate of those who embrace the dark side, because that is what the dark side ultimately is. The dark side is self-loathing, self-destructive fear. The fear of not being in control, the fear of change, the fear of insignificance, the fear of opening up to others or turning to them for help, the fear of weakness, and so on. Fear, just like anger, is human if you don't let it consume you. But you have let yourself believe that fear is your purpose for existing."

She reflected upon her reason for falling to the dark side. She was afraid of her feelings, of what the war was doing to her, and of what it was doing to the Order. But the truth was, if Barriss had asked for help she would not have fallen. If she had been more honest with Ahsoka or Luminara, she would not have ended up a terrorist and a traitor.

"Our purpose is to live," she told Vircul. "To live, to grow, to change, to love. Never are we static individuals. I fight for that purpose. I fight for life."

Elsewhere on the battlefield was Madelyn with her family, Finn leading the charge for freedom, Threepio mourning the loss of his friend, Trace helping the wounded, Dade and Rafe fighting together... and Barriss felt it. Their struggles, their emotions, their lives, their love. And though they weren't there physically, Barriss knew that Ahsoka and Luminara were with her in their own ways.

"They try to beat us by making us think we're alone," she told Vircul. "Once, I believed that. I thought it would be better that way. But I was wrong, I see that now. I am not alone." She smiled, remembering the convor that came to her in her darkest moment. "I never will be."

Barriss then realized something and she stepped back, extending her mechanical hand to Vircul. "You don't have to be alone either. You don't have to be just destruction. You can... be more. We both can be."

Vicrul looked at the outstretched hand, their fight on pause once again. He looked into her eyes, there was a soft kindness to them, did she truly mean it? For perhaps a brief moment that was a softening of his eyes before they become hardened once more.

"I am no fool," he spat, his beskad moving with great speed as he sliced through the mechanical arm, his anger radiating off him once more as mistrust and pain flooded his heart. He had been taught by those that he respected that trust did not exist in this world, just self-serving goals. He would not allow himself to fall prey to this once again.

It was then that the accumulated stress of the days took its toll on Barriss. She hadn’t planned for it, would not be able to anticipate it, in-fact - but she felt actual pain from the slashed droid limb.

No, it was her memory of pain. Since leaving Bonadan the woman had been tormented, came to the penumbra of the dark, grew from it yes, but had minimal rest. Meanwhile, Vicrul had been beaten by Xundel, but had plenty of time to regroup, reassess, and then grow. Indeed, he was much younger than her, as well.

But at this precise moment, Barriss was the weaker of the two, and the slash would not give her an advantage, but smash into her with a psychic wound that she had reopened without intending it -

She was exposed, completely -

Barriss cried out in pain as she fell to her knees, clutching at the stump where her artificial arm had once been. It hurt, just it hurt when her original arm had been cut off by Darth Vader decades ago.

She knew that it had been a stupid risk, trying to reach out to Vircul like she had done. But a part of her knew that she had to try, had to appeal to whatever humanity might have been left in Vircul. Because she did recognize a bit of herself in him and she realized that she wasn't so different from him once. She once didn't think that she could be saved or deserved to be saved. But her old master... her mother... believed otherwise.

Barriss looked up at Vircul, her expression one of both pain and pity. She knew that he had made his choice and she had suffered because of it. She was now weak, though she had just enough strength to make one last attempt to end this.

Her other lightsaber, the one that she had let Vircul knock away, was summoned to her by the Force. It flew off the ground and toward Vircul's back, its white blade ignited. She hoped that his anger, his pain, and his mistrust would be enough to distract him. That she could at least wound him, even as her strength was fading.

"You are a fool," she said harshly. "Because despite everything, you have only ever learned the wrong lesson."

Vicrul looked down at his opponent, his mouth opening to speak as he felt the blade whirl towards him. Without looking he held out a hand, the saber twirling dramatically off course as his gaze fell towards her.

"And yet you confirm the greatest lesson of all. No one can be trusted, they all try to stab you in the back eventually"

His face was cold, dispassionate, all save for his eyes. His arms raised up as his blades came thundering down once more to end the life of his foe, to rid the universe of one more soul that was wasting its existence.

"Fine," Barriss said softly. She was exhausted, humiliated, defeated, and in great pain. Despite everything... she had failed once again. Just one of many that she had experienced. Like when she was arrested by Anakin Skywalker or beaten by Darth Vader. She had given it her all, but it made little difference. Vircul was just too strong, too consumed by the dark side to be reached. But she had tried. The Force knew that she had tried.

"Believe what you want to believe," she told Vircul. "But a life lived without trusting others is not a life worth living, not a life worth having. It's just..." She closed her eyes, for she could do nothing else. All her strength was gone. "...a waste."

She thought of her mother. She thought of Ahsoka. She thought of Nomi. Perhaps she would be seeing them again.

Madelyn, she thought to herself, wondering if her message would be received. I'm sorry that I can't go back to Concord Dawn with you. Good bye.

“Barriss!”

There was a flurry of movement and Trace rushed into the combat zone, having been caught up in the rush to the Capitol and just seen Barriss drop to her knees with her missing droid arm. With her blaster she took a shot at Vicrul -

Behind her was Asteria, hearing Barriss’ voice over the noise of the battle, and, clutching the Darksaber - Hattaka’s blade, which even Vicrul would sense into the chaos - looked over, crying out and running their way -

There was a voice, soft in her ears. Barriss, I bring tidings from Xundel. My time is short, my old friend.

It was Nomi. A confluence of events had surged to interrupt Vicrul and Barriss.

How they would react would decide much of each other’s Fates.

Barriss heard Nomi's voice, but her exhaustion and pain was too great for her to respond. She didn't even notice Trace and Asteria. Instead, she just fell forward and hit the ground. She was spent and had passed out as a result, laying there in the middle of the battlefield after her defeat and humiliation at the hands of Vircul Ren.

Vicrul stopped, his attention shifted to that of Asteria. The Darksaber...

His eyes glinted, it had been Hattaska's, and Vicrul knew not of its lineage or history, all he knew is that in his mind it rightfully belonged to him as the new leader of the Knights of Ren. Vicrul raised his beskad's to protect his face, confident that if it did not hit his twin beskads it would hit some other part of his beskar armor.

Standing tall and renewing himself he ran over to the twin pair that he could see, his goal was to quickly dispatch of them both and take the Darksaber for himself. The hunger and anger flowed through him once more, his fate would be seized, his destiny would be claimed, of this he was certain.

Nomi settled beside Barriss, unseen to the others. My friend, I was sent to find three who would listen to the balance in the Force. To ending the greater war. I would not do this for Xundel unless I believed in you… and Asteria…

A pause.

… and Ahsoka. Please, do not let my last words fall on deaf ears. A spectral hand settled on her, and strength flowed from the spirit to Barriss Sunrider. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

I loved you, Barriss, but my family has a terrible history with love, and we always lost out. I held back, embraced the destiny my Grandmother bequeathed upon me. I wish I had not.

Trace rushed past Barriss’ form and kept firing like a madman, even as Asteria broke away from the others, running forward, caught up in their battle with Vestara. She held out a hand to Trace, recognizing her too from Bonadan, trying to yank her out of the way before Vicrul killed her -

Barriss' eyes shot open, but she was still in pain... and very confused.

"Nomi?" she asked weakly, trying to sit up despite the pain. "Ahsoka?"

She clutched her head, which felt like it was spinning. Why am I not dead? she asked herself. I really should be dead.

Then her eyes widened. "Trace!" she whispered to herself, realizing that Trace had put herself in the path of the murderous Vircul Ren. She wanted to do something, but she still felt weak and light-headed. Her vision was blurry, her senses fading. She was not yet over her defeat and humiliation at the hands of Vircul Ren, how she had failed to do anything to him.

Barriss was broken by that humiliation and it was still sapping away her strength. She couldn't stop Vircul. So what makes her think she could save Trace? She already lost. Already failed. It didn't matter anymore.

Barriss fell back to the ground. She was tired of failing. Tired of losing. Tired of being humiliated. She had given everything in her fight against Vircul and felt like that there was now nothing she could do against him. It was too much now. To him, she was insignificant. To him, she didn't matter. The complete and shameful defeat had left her feeling useless.

The blaster shots would likely just continue to bounce of Vicrul's armor, the signature sound of blaster fire meeting beskar singing throughout the air.

Vicrul saw the outstretched hand of one trying to save the other. With his twin beskads he threw one to Trace's neck. Embued by the Force to give it more speed and power in the next instant he brought his second sword slicing at the hand that was trying to yank Trace away.

He felt different since a mere moment ago, his emotions not ruling him, but allowing them to be utilized to empower him, the whirling mess of his feelings become a focused sword that he commanded.

Tell Asteria… about Xundel… and Ruusan… it is my last request.

For Barriss, the world slowed as the dagger headed towards Trace -

As he headed towards Asteria, the young Padawan -

Barriss blinked. "Xundel? Ruusan? What?"

But she got no reply. Nomi was once again gone, leaving a very confused and a still very broken Barriss.

She looked up, watching Vircul's dagger heading toward Trace as Vircul also threatened the young Mirialan Padawan. And in her condition, Asteria almost looked like the young Barriss that she had seen in tears in the ruins of the Jedi Temple. Just like how Barriss had failed her younger self, she was now failing Asteria.

"No," Barriss whispered, closing her eyes in despair. Despite everything, she wanted to stop Vircul from hurting anyone else even if she didn't think she could.

She held her remaining hand out... and reached toward Trace and Asteria, not knowing what good the gesture would do. But when her eyes opened, there was something different in them. Something more than just humiliation, exhaustion, and pain.

"Stop."

It didn’t stop Vicrul. It did, at least, allow for the dagger thrown at Trace to hold enough for her to be mostly moved by Asteria, and then Asteria to move her hand back, but she was already screaming -

When the moment returned to normal, Asteria would be thrown back by the sheer force of Vicrul’s blow slicing through the air, his blade stabbing into the ground -

Trace stumbled and tipped, hand touching where the blade had opened a slim wound -

Barriss had saved them both.

Vicrul would potentially be confused for a moment, but a loud clatter would be heard -

The Darksaber had landed by his boot -

Sound returned and the roar of the Resistance Army, the sounds of Bruetrooper blaster fire and flamethrowers, flooded in -

Vicrul's face hardened in frustration as both his attacks failed. Was he seemingly incapable of killing anyone? His eyes glinted as he saw the Darksaber by his boot, in one fluid motion he grabbed it, igniting it, not taking no time to revel in finding the weapon, he bolted over to Asteria who now appeared weaponless. They may have escaped his fury once, but they would not do so a second time. He brought his singular beskad and the Darksaber sweeping in a motion of darkness towards the man's throat, the sounds of chaos echoing from the battle as both the First Order and the Resistance clashed once more.

He had come here to taste blood, to become reborn in it, and thus far he had none. An issue he was sure he would correct soon.

Barriss was now on her feet, despite the pain that had crippled her earlier. Straightening up, she spotted her mother's lightsaber where it had fallen and she called upon it with the Force. As it leapt into her remaining hand, Barriss no longer felt pain, exhaustion, or shame. Perhaps her body still did, but not her spirit. The only thing that her spirit felt was love... and the Force. The Force was running through her, helping her lift herself from the ground and stand once more. And when Barriss ignited the lightsaber, the blade was no longer white.

It was blue.

No matter how many times Barriss was beaten, she always stood back up. While Varad Zagg, Darth Vader, the Grand Inquisitor, and the Emperor were all dead, Barriss lived on.

She lived and would continue to protect, continue to fight for the preservation of others. With Nomi's help, Barriss kept going.

"Leave her alone, you murderous coward," Barriss told Vircul, trying to get his attention. At the same time, she outstretched her hand and attempted to push Asteria away from Vircul before he could end her life.

It was then that Trace ran into Vicrul, attempting to send him tumbling aside to protect Asteria - he had moved too swiftly, too surely, for her to get to the child.

But Asteria was grabbed by the Force, yes, and she was saved thanks to the combination of the two, sent tumbling back towards the fight with Vestara going on in the background -

But then the battle turned, and Resistance troops fell back, retreating through the middle of their tableau, separating Barriss from Vicrul and Trace, cutting Vicrul off from Vestara and her foes, even as Brutetroopers lead a pursuit -

This flank of the New Resistance Army had collapsed, falling back, and suddenly the area was full of blaster fire, explosions, death, and dozens of men and women fighting for their lives -

Barriss would find her borrowed energy was used up, and would know with certainty that Asteria was safe for now -

Meanwhile Vicrul would find his targets innumerably multiply -

A counter surge saw a dozen Resistance soldiers and traitor Stormtrooper take up the rear and push the Brutetroopers back towards Vicrul -

Barriss smiled to herself. She felt like she hadn't done much, but both Asteria and Trace were alive. Though Vircul wasn't defeated, she had stopped him from hurting or killing others for as long as she could. And at the moment, that was enough.

She stared at her blade, now blue, and wondered what it meant.

But she didn't have much time to wonder about that. Barriss felt all energy leave her completely and she began to collapse, deactivating her lightsaber as she did. In her last moments of consciousness, Barriss called out to Trace wherever she was.

Then for Barriss, there was nothing but darkness.

Vicrul bellowed in anger. His wrath multiplied tenfold with his denied kill. With a turn, he came to view the pitiful Resistance soldiers that stood fighting for their worthless lives. Such folly, did they not know their fate was death all the same?

Trace had moved toward Vicrul and was close. Thus would be his first target. Vicrul threw his remaining beskad toward their chest once again imbued by the Force to penetrate deeply. With it sent Vicrul took a look to the Resistance soldiers, the Darksaber ignited as he came to end their lives, a courtesy that in time they would come to thank him.

TAGS: @Shadowsun @Sinrebirth @TheSilentInfluence (mentioned) @darthbernael (mentioned)

 

Rhoen Aquilla
Coruscant

"Damnit." Rhoen cused through the comm as he descended through the atmosphere. Syal couldn't pull up and they were falling fast. He gave thought to try and put his fighter under hers to try and push her up or at least get her into a descent that wouldn't kill her on impact. However the differences in mass between the nimble X-wing and the sturdy Aleph made that a losing measure but, maybe there was something he could do. "Syal," He called out completely breaking protocol but what was new for them. "Flare your repulsors and hit the air brakes, try to slow your fall." He looked around trying to find somewhere they could try and put down or something. "Is there anything your R2 unit can do?" He popped up above her to let off a burst of laser that sent a TIE that was closing in on the falling pair. The skies were filled with enemies that overwhelmed the Resistance members fighting in the air above the galactic center.

Taking a breath he looked to the holo on the instrument panel his wife, their daughter, his family. His gaze turned with renewed determination.

"Hold as steady as you can." Rhoen accelerated taking a slightly steeper angle as he fell beneath her. He quickly inverted his craft heart pounding in his chest but hands steady. In his mind's eye he could see it, Syal's craft holding steady but falling, his collision alarms were going off, good he was close. With a breath he slammed on the repulsors flaring them and sending out a burst of energy that would push against the hull of the Aleph. It was at full power hopefully enough knock her into a more stable flight path.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction….

The immutable law of physics rang out in his mind as with equal force he was sent down, closer to the towering stratus-scrapers. His breath echoed in his ears as he saw what he had to do. Though he was in an urban valley he couldn't just snap over and pull up, there wasn't enough room. A walkway connecting two towers would catch him and send him augering into the ground.

With a gentle hand he angled himself to fly just past the obstruction. Once he cleared it he sucked in a breath and pushed the stick forward pulling a hard semicircle around the walkway. His blood rushed to his feet.

"Hick-ah" he intoned tightening his diaphragm and forcing the blood back into his head. His vision began to blur at the edges, his hands growing weak. He saw the yawning chasm below, ready to swallow him up but he wouldn't let it. "Hick-ah" With defiance he completed his turn rapidly rising into the sky and cutting around to find her.

"Syal...Syal please be alive…"

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

Combo with the dude - Sinre


IC: Kylo Ren and Rey
Mountain temple, Mortis

All I want is behind that door.

Rey leveled her eyes at Kylo's saber the very same moment he chose to activate it's unstable blade. With the flick of her finger, one end of her own hilt flashed to life, the burnt-orange hue of her weapon surrounding her in its empowering aura. Where the very thought of his crackling red blade used to appear in her nightmares, she stayed unreactive, calm, collected.

Waiting.

"You won't be going in... without me," she replied, no hint of threat or malice in her tone. It was simply a statement of fact.

He came for her first, as she was certain he would and Rey dropped back defensively, bringing up her lightsaber horizontally as she finally ignited it's other side to bring her full power to bear.

Two blades; it did not perturb Kylo Ren.

He was beyond mortal concerns.

Rain began to pelt them, lit by their flashes of red and yellow-orange.

The Dark Lord of the Sith strode forward, his lightsaber clashing with hers - ancient statues of stone crumbled around them as he did, as Kylo Ren mercilessly threw them at her -

"I could have been your teacher."

He pursued her.

"I could have ended your pain."

He was looming, attempting to both intimidate her and tempt her, powerful and exposed to her in-spite of the mask -

Rey spun and tumbled away from chunks of stone as they threatened to crush her, her blades sizzling with each block of Kylo's attacks. Rain soaked her in minutes, the haunting memory of their sea-sprayed encounter atop the ruins of a Death Star floating to the surface of her thoughts.

He was as thoroughly intimidating a figure as ever, towering over her as she constantly thwarted him. A small break in the barrage offered an opportunity and the Jedi ensnared a large piece of statue, using her heightened connection to the Force to change its course directly for her opponent.

"How could you have ended my pain," Rey shouted, her breathing beginning to quicken. "When you could not deal with your own?"

Glaring at her, Kylo Ren swerved to avoid the piece of statue, but it caught his chin, shearing the bottom right half clean off; revealing the flesh beneath.

He took step back and removed it.



He was implacable.

"You're weakening."

He stepped forward, lightsaber blazing murderously, but he began to allow her attacks to hammer at him, taking careful, controlled counter strikes through her own assaults.

"The last glimmer of a dying light."

Rey didn't take his bait, but with each passing moment her anguish at having to lose Ben all over again chipped away. She could sense the cuts that peppered her face and arms from the shards of stone, the heavy rains stinging each like needles. And when he revealed his face at last, her heart twisted in a way it hadn't in years - a gasp escaping her lips as their battle waged on.

He wasn't wrong, she was weakened. By him. By her need to save him, by her love for him.

"Stop this, please," she pleaded, the strain in her voice a surprise. Rey swiped out at his midsection with her right side, following quick with an equal strike using the opposite blade.

He blocked, once, twice, his eyes burning into her, through her, unerringly surefooted, a mirror of their fight aboard the Death Star wreckage; her, devastated by the knowledge that she was a Palpatine, as shattered as the wayfinder he had crushed in his hand, rattled by the fact that she had failed the entire galaxy.

Kylo Ren moved with the same absolute certainty he had on Kef Bir. He struck at her - a wicked blow across her face that instantly cauterised a scar from her left cheek to her forehead.

Right across her eyes.

He’s blinded her.

Rey would never be able to pinpoint the exact moment it abruptly went wrong; only that she had turned to block and where she was certain his blade would be, it wasn't.

A blindingly white-hot slash was painted across her face and she screamed, collapsing to her knees as her hilt tumbled out of her hand and the blades deactivated simultaneously. She then frantically cupped her fingers over where her eyes had been, the raw and charred flesh that remained burning to the touch. She screamed again, the agony so sharp that it threatened to force her into unconsciousness, had it not been for the tidal wave of rage that surged outward from the epicenter of her being.

She choked on her own chaotic breaths, blood trickling from the corners of her mouth, the Force in utter turmoil.

Kylo Ren stands over her, pointing his lightsaber at her heart. He relents; he has won.

“Goodbye, scavenger.”

The most impersonal way he had ever addressed her. As just a scavenger.

Kylo Ren turns to enter the Temple of Mortis, leaving Rey blind and bleeding on the steps.

Rey could feel him so much more intimately, intensely, in those tortuously long seconds after his attack, her own darkness unleashed to greet his. She could only yell out once more, the air around her static and alive - charged. So much so that even as her vision was now a black void, a flicker of a crackling, ghostly outline appeared to her mind. It was blue and alive, like currents of lightning.

That of Kylo's retreating form, abandoning her, broken and unseeing.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Barriss Sunrider

Barriss couldn't move. Frankly, it was a miracle that she had regained consciousness so quickly. Then again, Barriss was used to miracles.

However, it would take more than one miracle for her to get up. Barriss laid where she had fallen, surrounded by the dead and listening to the battle raging on without her.

She wanted to get up. She wanted to find Trace. She wanted to make sure that Madelyn and her family was okay.

But no matter how much she wanted it, Barriss couldn't get up.

So she just sighed in defeat and laid there, wondering if death would finally take her or if she would be rescued by another miracle.

In her remaining hand, she still felt the deactivated lightsaber that had earlier produced a blue blade.

Blue, Barriss thought to herself.

What did blue mean?

She remembered Nomi's voice, her last request. Nomi was gone now, Barriss knew that. But she would still try to honor her wishes... if she survived this battle, of course.

"Fight..."

It was a reminder that she was never truly alone. She had not been abandoned, like Vircul had been. And Barriss refused for her survival to be left to luck alone. She hadn't gotten this far from just relying on miracles, she was strong as well. Stronger than many knew and perhaps even stronger than she herself knew.

So Barriss lifted herself up. It wasn't easy and the effort alone should probably have knocked her out. But Barriss was too stubborn and too determined. After all, there were still people who depended on and as long as she was still alive she could still be of help.

She noticed that she was at the foot of the Capitol Building and she remembered why she had come back here in the first place. Hux. The Chancellor was interested in Sith artifacts, which that troubled Barriss. And now she was in the position to do something about it, especially since Barriss doubted that she would last much longer on the battlefield anyway. Inside the Capitol Building was where she needed to be right now.

But first, she needed to recharge her energy and strength. What little she had left would not suffice. Looking around, Barriss noticed that several of the Brutetroopers laying nearby were not dead. At least not yet. They were dying and Barriss realized what she had to do. She did not like it, she never liked it. But it was necessary. She had to survive, she had to keep going. Because Barriss had made the choice to get involved again, that meant doing what needed to be done.

So she began to Force drain the dying Brutetroopers, taking some comfort in the fact that she was at least making their suffering shorter. She took no joy in the act, but she couldn't just lay down feeling sorry for herself.

As the voice had told her, Barriss had to fight.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

Combo with our GM @Sinrebirth

IC: Eleanor Magnus
Fighting

Eleanor found it easy to adapt to her new leg. She could move easily with it, which was a relief; although she could sense Kaz keeping a close eye on her as they approached the battle.

She didn't want to let Asteria, Amaria, her mother or Mirta out of her sight, but she was relieved when she saw Mirta loom protectively over the darksaber and Asteria.

As the battle got worse, Eleanor activated her lightsaber; ready to face Lorl as he came face to them. As he shot the droid R2-D2.

Eleanor stepped forward. "Go." She ordered. "I'll handle this."

Lorl had stepped away from Vicrul and Barriss and their drama. He didn't have a specific interest in it.

Indeed, he looked at the others, who were rushing forward to support Finn in his charge towards the Capitol building. Vestara headed to intercept them, but with Madelyn there perhaps they would be fine.

Watching them go, Lorl looked back. "I would prefer to have finished off my kill from before. The place where you and my friends cost me my twin... and my other brother-in-arms." He thought of Ott, of Jaedec, of Hattaska. Now all he had was Vicrul. His crimson blade ignited.

"You owe me for what you took."

Madelyn glanced back at Lorl and scowled. She didn't forget what he had done to her but she knew this was Eleanor's fight now. She watched as he daughter rushed towards him, noted the way she turned to side as Eleanor tucked her blade low-

It reminded her of herself a little, the determination and honor reminded her of Fenn, and the steadiness of her moves of Paz.

Vestara ended up tackled by Kaz, Amira and Asteria, busy deflecting shots and thrown debris from the latter -

Madelyn had a moment she could take, even as Lorl caught Eleanor’s blow low and swung out a fist backhanded to catch her across the face -

In the backdrop, Vicrul and Barriss tangled, the latter fighting brilliantly but -

The Resistance surged forward, trying to get Finn through -

It was a brilliant, gruelling battle -

Eleanor recoiled as she was struck, but remained on her feet. She pushed back against him, reaching out with the force to see how she could beat him. If she could. "What's the matter? Never faced a Mandalorian before?"

Lorl hissed. “Did your mother not count?”

He gestured and a discarded blaster rose from the floor, but rather than take it to shoot at Eleanor, he hurled it at her -

There was all manner of debris and detritus of battle on the floor; they were technically behind the Resistance frontline desperately trying to get to the Capitol building now -

The Knight of Ren was already looking for the next thing to throw, and levitated a beskar Brutetrooper helmet -

Eleanor bristled with anger. "Of course she does. But she has no intention of leading the Mandalorian people like I do." She ducked underneath the blaster. She watched as he lifted a brutetrooper helmet and pushed him back with the force to put him off balance-

Lorl was surprised and tumbled back, before swinging a hand and sending the beskar helmet at her. He followed it, lightsaber burning -

Eleanor drew herself back and brought her lightsaber up, turning to the side to dodge the helmet, and then attempting to counter Lorl's lightsaber with her own-

He was close, catching the tip of her blade near the hilt of his, giving him greater control when he pushed her back. Now inside her guard, he slashed the blade down at her shoulder -

Eleanor jumped back, the blade hitting her shoulder. She bit her lip to stop from crying out in pain, and swung her blade up against his again, trying move it closer to him-

He followed her, leaping after, but she struck out swifter than he had expected; her blade severed his arm, and Lorl swore loudly, clutching the stump of his shoulder and tumbling back to the floor.

He looked up at her. “Go on then,” he sneered. “Finish me off.”

Eleanor stood over him, breathing heavily. If I don't kill him. There will be more trouble later. And I have to do everything to protect my family and people.

"You fought well." Eleanor answered him. And then she struck him down-

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

OOC: GM Approved

IC: Lord Vicrul Ren
Bloodlust Fuming

​

Vicrul grunted in frustration as his blade merely wounded Trace, they becoming sucked away in the chaos of battle. No longer a possible target for Vicrul to slaughter.

The Knight of Ren looked to the two Rebel leaders that charged towards them, they unwittingly casting their lives aside by doing so. Vicrul brought his hand up to one of them, feeling their neck from a distance as he squeezed, feeling their neck tighten in what seemed to be a moment as he was then discarded in the next instant. Vicrul did not know their names, to him they had none, they were just a disease that needed eradication. But one he just threw was the one named Rafe.

The other was a meager boy, armed with two blasters, ineffectually weapons against the one that wielded the Dark Saber. With a step and a swing, he brought the blade singing round, its darkness slicing through the air as he came to free the boy's head from his body. Vicrul looked down at his handiwork and then turned over his shoulder looking to the surrounding chaos of the battle.

He felt it, the unmistakable feeling of his brother's life being snuffed out. It was like a spike in Vicrul's mind gouging it and twisting round, if only the fool had listened to him he would still be alive. There was a reason Vicrul gave the orders he did and now Lorl was dead.

So without care or thought of what might be in the way, he made his way to where his comrade had fallen. To find and slay the perpetrator that had taken yet another life whereas Vicrul had only been able to kill what he perceived to be nobodies.

TAG: @Sinrebirth @TheSilentInfluence

 

IC: Tirran Huxley
Arkinnea, Expansion Region

So, this whole world for sale was a world that wanted to make profit, but not get fame for it. Not to be marked or watched for what they did. That was a tricky proposition and this was something oddly up Tirran's alley in connecting sellers with buyers that might not otherwise find each other. Possibly in such a way so that neither knew the other either. Hmmm.

The yet though, that was an interesting and stark transition. "Well, you will have to let me know when you do become concerned and warn me before it comes as well. The crystal did not lie, but how matters little in the face of good business." Tirran stated with a bobble and a step forward. "Your way of approaching business is what I do. I can sell and shift it so no one even knows the grain came from your world if you like. Keep the profit margins just below the competition and sell to sectors that might not have the deeper pockets that would appreciate the discount more in exchange for secrecy and looking the other way for where it comes from. Most will think we be selling stollen goods or grain drones that went missing from a convey in a nebula pass, but that is fine. Yes?"

Time to feel out this one in return, see if their ways were compatible.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

(OOC: Post approved by @Sinrebirth )

IC Rhoen Aquilla
Courscant

A long breath left the pilot as he heard the love of his life on the other end of the line. He'd done it, he'd shredded his port stabilizer, burnt out his lower starboard engine, and fried his repulsors with his little stunt but it was all worth it. Syal was alive. Nothing else mattered. The jedi fighting in the distance, the bombers rushing to crush the Resistance, it didn't matter to him. He looked over his shoulder at her throwing his shields to the front he placed himself in front of Syal taking a few hits from the strikers coming in.

"Go." She called out. "Save the Resistance."

"No." He shouted back. "I'm not leaving you."

"You can't, you can't Rhoen, after everything...this fight has to be worth something."

"It'll be worth nothing if I lose you."

"Rhoen."

"I didn't…" He fired off his lasers, tearing through a TIE that was trying to get an angle on Syal. "I didn't join this fight to save the Resistance, I joined it to keep you safe."

"They will die, we will lose."

"I...I won't lose you, I don't want Val to grow up without a mother, I don't want to raise her alone. What will this victory mean if I don't have you?"

"Our daughter can finally be free, we can be free."

"I don't want that if it's with…" His shields flashed taking another hit. "If it's without you."

"Fine, then I'll fight them."

"Like hell, you're barely functional."

"I didn't come this far just for us to lose." Tears rolled down her cheek only to be evaporated by the wind whipping across her face.

"And what makes you think we were going to win?"

"Look around you Rhoen, this is Coruscant, the center of the galaxy. We win here, everything else falls."

"For how long, huh, a generation? Then Val has to pick up the mantel?"

"I won't have this fight with you again. At least she would be free and know what it feels like. So that she can fight back. I won't let my daughter grow up afraid. I won't let her become like you."

"Like me, what do you mean? Rational, logical…"

"Afraid, scared of everything of trying of failing. I don't want her to be afraid, I want her to have the will to fight should it come to it."

"I'd rather her never fight at all."

"You think I don't want that but...I want her to stand when others kneel. To know what it means to be free so she can fight back when it is taken away. I pray that it never happens but, I want her to be strong to stand up for what is right. Not hide away when things get tough, not like you hiding on a farm while the galaxy grew darker."

"I was trying to protect you, protect her."

"You were just scared."

"I…" he snapped hard around letting off a stream of fire clipping a TIE and sending it careening into their partner. "I didn't want to fight another war that we would lose, make a peace that wouldn't last."

"You were scared of failing. And you let that fear consume you."

"Because I've seen this cycle before, seen it again and again."

"That doesn't mean we should stop fighting. To live in fear."

"I don't want to lose you as the galaxy falls into darkness again."

"And I want to fight...please Rhoen...fight for me...please…"

"I'll cover you, find a place to set down now." The anger in his voice, the pain of what he was doing became apparent. This was not what he wanted, he was being forced. He broke off tearing through TIE Strikers left and right. There was a Plaza not too far away and she descended toward it. Even with a shaky X-Wing he could still cut through the sky with the greatest of ease going toe to toe with whatever the First Order could throw at him, unfazed.

"Come on, come on." he said watching as she fell and fell, controlling her decent until she contacted the metal base of the Plaza bouncing once and coming to a stop.

"I'm Ok, I'm ok…"

"Good now get to cover and for the love of all that is good don't get captured…"

"I won't...now go save the day…"

He snapped off a roll throwing all the power he could into his engines. "Ace…" He called out to his R2 unit, "Get that engine fixed now and give me all the speed you can." The droid gave an affirmative response and his X-Wing kicked finding more power to close in on the Bombers. From as far out as he could he opened up with his rapid fire lasers tearing through the shields then the armor, then finally the hull itself. One bomber detonated, forcing the others to spread out.

He swooped in from the side of the formation firing on the outer edge causing those on that edge to tighten up. TIE Stikers were closing in and he didn't have much time. He shifted over firing on the other side pushing the group closer together, just like herding nerf…

He brought up his targeting computer quickly getting a lock on the Bomber close to the center. Barely waiting to get a solid lock he released a pair of torps that streaked towards their target striking true and detonating…

He broke off diving into the metal canyons to lose his tail and unable to see if he was successful, to see if he'd done enough...if he could cash in one last miracle...

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

OOC: Fighty fun with @Sinrebirth

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

Johnson was jolted awake by what sounded like an explosion. The Capitol it seemed was still being attacked, not that much new then.

He stood up and checked himself over, he looked the same still, Smith's voice was not ping ponging around in his head so far, had he succeeded in repelling him?

The room was full of dead techs, it seemed that Smith had had enough of playing with his toys and discarded them. Lucretia wasn't here either which was another good sign.

Smith was standing by the cube, blaster out and he was giving Johnson two choices like Ilsa had, surrender or die. Rose was busy working her magic. He had just to give her enough time to complete her work and keep Smith busy.

"You pontificate too much" Johnson replied with a sneer pulling his blaster from his back, he'd lost the other one "They are just beginning, the fire is spreading and soon the First Order will be burnt down to ashes. And you with them".

"And you should fear me, I'm a much more dangerous combination than you realise. Agent and Resistance fighter. Your existence ends now".

Johnson quickly pulled his blaster up and fired several shots as he charged at Smith.

Smith swung the blaster and shot Johnson’s own shots out of the sky, turning to close the gap between them and advancing. Rose heard the blaster fire and the rest of the tech crew in the pit looked up too. She cringed but only worked harder.

Smith shooting shots out of the sky, well that was a new one.

Blasters were no good again, it was time for some hand to hand fun.

Quickly holstering his blaster Johnson continued the charge, lept up, tucked his legs in and then fired them out in a vicious double kick.

Smith was surprised enough to take another shot - which missed - and then the feet caught him in the chest and he toppled over the side - grabbing out at Johnson’s leg as he did -

Johnson had managed to catch Smith off guard but the bad news was Smith was trying now to take him over the side….

Smith's grip on him was like iron but Johnson tried to kick him to try and make him release his grip. Whether he succeeded or not was the main question.

He didn’t.

They tumbled into the tech pit, and the workers scattered, crying out. Clearly these, who commanded lesser functions of the ship and not the essential Jammer, had not been injected with the SMITH virus.

Smith managed to reorient as they fell, landing a punch on Johnson which caused them to spin and send them both tumbling apart and away. Smith crashed on a desk and scattered datapads, Johnson fell towards the corner of a console -

Johnson took the punch but after all the fights of the day he was getting exhausted. Not even his Agent speed and stamina could keep him going.

He was of course only human.

Keep on fighting Bernhardt, Rose needs you.

Johnson's back hit the console and he snarled in pain. He had to try and finish this here and now.

With a sneer he charged forward again this time trying to deliver a series of punches to Smith to try and smash him backwards.

Smith blocked all of them, his signature smirk pasted on his face. A hand flicked out and a backhand slapped him across the face. Then a foot kicked out and caught him in the gut.

While Smith was refreshed by collating the parts of himself, Johnson had been unconscious; it wasn’t a recovery, it was just a temporary moment while the Agent essentially reconstituted himself.

Johnson was beginning to wonder if he could beat Smith. He was running out of options and he wasn't sure his body could take much more.

There was no way he was getting assimilated, he would rather die than let that happen.

He had to keep trying until his body gave out. And hopefully Rose would do the rest with the jammer.

Make the fire an inferno.

Johnson was winded after the last kick, he managed to stagger back to a fighting stance and unleashing a series of rapid kicks, high, medium, low it didn't matter.

He was going to go out all guns blazing.

Smith was getting stronger, impossibly, improbably, the adrenaline of watching Johnson wear himself out exhilarating him. "Can you hear it, Mr Johnson?"

No longer an Agent.

"It's the sound of your death."

The alarms sounded out; the tannoy announced that the Capitol was about to separate from the Cradle.

That was not good…

Come on Rose, now or never.

Smith was enjoying himself, and it was fueling Johnson's rage.

Against the First Order, against himself for killing Ilsa, against Smith for trying to make him into one of his cronies.

"My name…"

He pulled his arm back, one last throw of the dice.

"Is Bernhardt"

And he threw all his strength into a punch that went straight for Smith's face.

The fist hit him completely, fully, utterly, his face seemed to distort beneath the force of the blow and the Agent flew into the wall - through the wall.

Rose looked at him go. "Wow."

She also looked back to Johnson, who would be basically on his last legs at this point.

"You alright?"

Johnson fell to his knees, his energy spent. Smith would be back, he knew it. The former Agent was a virus and he would not be free to take any one he wished.

He hoped Lucretia would at least stay out of his clutches.

He looked over to Rose "Not really. I need a hot shower and to sleep for the next month, that would be ideal".

He shook his head "But we need that jammer to go, then we need to get aboard the Silencer my ship and get off this place before it either explodes or jumps into hyperspace".

"I can't do anything about the jammer," Rose said, firmly. "It's encrypted to death, coated in beskar, phrik, cortosis and Force knows what. I had the room to myself for a while and not even a thermal detonator would take it out at this stage. And that's baradium."

She was right.

Back when the First Order ruled most of the Known Galaxy, Hux and Kylo Ren had poured tremendous amounts of resources into rebuilding the Supremacy but better, and the Capitol was the culmination of that. "I'm trying to slice the hyperdrive, but I need the command codes I had stored in Artoo - and my friends are at the foot of the capitol building trying to fight their way through to plug in BB-8."

R2-D2 and BB-8.

Johnson had joined the very heart of the Resistance war effort to be working with those names.

There was, however, a rumbling in the direction of the hole in the room.

He had heard of those droids of course, two of the most famous droids in the galaxy.

Johnson wearily pulled himself up "What do you need me to do?"

And that rumbling did not sound good. He pulled his blaster out.

"I need you to head down to the ground level and get BB-8 plugged in. Without his codes I can't finish here -"

The wall erupted, metal and bulkhead spilling outward, and Smith burst out, both hands curled into fists, seemingly flying but in-fact he he had leapt out of the wreckage -

Johnson dove down and began firing at him "Why don't you just DIE!" he roared at Smith.

He then shouted to Rose "I think that might be difficult at the moment!"

Rose ducked back down.

Smith landed nimbly, diving behind consoles and darting towards Johnson

"I am inevitable, Mr Johnson."

Johnson didn't respond back, he waited, holstering his blaster and stepping into a defensive stance.

He wished he had a knife or something to stab Smith with but maybe he could still do something.

He waited.

The Agent reared up before him.

“Do you accept it, then?”

Johnson had one answer….

"No"

And looking at the former Agent he proceeded to aim a kick at Smith that would hopefully launch him into the air so he could smash against something, even the cube would be great.

Smith ducked, and drove up, landing a punch on Johnson’s chest that would feel like a hammer, and a rib cracked loudly -

“Why do you persist, Mr Johnson!”

Smith gnashed his teeth.

Johnson felt his rib go and he knew he was really on his last legs now.

If this last attack of his failed...well he guessed Smith would assimilate him. Or his body would just collapse.

"Because I choose to".

He reached one of his arms back and with a roar threw one last punch straight at Smith's chest.

Smith moved his arm across his chest, and threw it out to block Johnson’s blow and drive his speared hand at the former Agent’s heart -

It had failed and Johnson was wobbling.

He moved his other arm to block Smith's attack. He still would rather die than be assimilated.

Rose of course had no weapons. Johnson had to rely on good old fashioned luck.

Perhaps he could sacrifice himself for the greater good, join Ilsa in the afterlife, be at peace than be a walking, talking Smith clone.

His negative thoughts beget a negative reality.

With a gesture to nudge aside whatever counter Johnson tiredly threw, Smith plunged his hand into his chest -

He would assimilate Johnson into the whole, and rebuild the Smith mind. The True Reunion had begun.

TAG: @Sinrebirth