Star Wars OPEN Star Wars: Kain's Heroes (Always Accepting New Players)

IC: Thomas Ronaan
Grad




The sweat wasn't from nerves but from the cold realization that he was back where it all started so many years ago.

The streets of Grad.

Thomas Ronaan reached underneath his helmet and wiped his forehead dry. He tugged quietly with the same motion at his eye patch that covered his damaged eye. The one ruined by the bombing of his old school. The eye that was a painful, aching, reminder of what had once been and now was gone forever. Fortunately, the eye he counted on, his shooting eye, was as solid as ever. That had never let him down. Not once.

Thomas squinted down the rubble strewn street. He knew this district. He knew this street. Had friends who'd worked the factories. Parents of the children that he teached had found steady employment on these streets that were barely recognizable now. The war had taken so much from the citizens of Skarn and the citizens of Grad in particular. So much had been taken and for what? He wasn't even sure as he grew further and further away from the man he once knew.

He heard two of the other team members speaking to one another. He didn't know them. He'd hardly talked to anyone besides Chrondarr and he was being his usual pensive self. His ears perked up after hearing the word sharpshooter. That was him. He was it. He could do that. He could reach out and kill from a distance. It was what he was "good" at now. Not teaching. Not educating future generations of Skarn citizens. No, he was a killer. It was all he had on his resume now. All he was capable of accomplishing. The war had taught him that much.

"I'll go to the right," Thomas said as he tucked his blaster rifle under his arm, "but I need someone to go with me. I'm no good to anyone if I don't have support."

Tag: Anyone

 

Reva Cambrion
Outskirts, Grad

Her bottom hurt and she was longing for a real bed. Anytime, though. They should reach Grad by dinner time, and perhaps she'd be able to slip away and see her grandmother. Her pouch was fairly well stocked with medical supplies they'd taken off dead Imps, as well some plants and roots she'd gleaned along the route. Plenty of bloodroot, which was a good bloodthinner that she made into a syrup for her elderly patients to take. But she hadn't seen any bindroot, which could be used on wounds to help clotting, and that worried her. Her supplies were very low.

Reva couldn’t suppress a soft cry as they crested the ridge and saw the burning ruins of her home city. Was this really Grad? Her eyes moved frantically, trying to find familiar landmarks. The tall towers of the administrative center, the domes and greenery of the arts district had vanished. She couldn’t see the Market district or the spaceport for smoke.

“Oh, Nan,” she whispered. Could her grandmother possibly still be alive? She glanced at the others who were looking grimly down into the valley. Ronaanw was also from Grad, but it was impossible to see a reaction on his face. Atreus was also from Grad, but the woman was in front of her. It seemed to Reva that the space in front of her was cold, icily cold, even though it was beginning to warm up for late spring.

They moved into the area while Reva fought down waves of grief and nausea. As they moved closer, they could see dome bodies, scattered in the streets and walkways. Some of them were burned beyond recognition. Instinctively, she bent down to search for a pulse of an older man close to her. Of course he was cold. She pursed her lips and touched his hand, testing the flex. Someone called to her impatiently, and she jogged to catch up, moving towards Kain.

“I’d have to check a few others,” she said breathlessly, “but the one back there has been dead about nine or ten hours. The attack must have come early this morning, rigor mortis is fully set in.”

He grunted in return, and they continued towards the factory district. Reva dampened a scarf with water from her canteen, and wrapped it around her nose and mouth to protect her from breathing in the smoke. She glanced at the walls, most of which were streaked with dirt and soot, or at least, the ones still standing. She studied the worn graffiti marks as they passed.

When Kain motioned them to stop, she craned her neck to see why. Battle droids? Quite a lot of them, and they seemed to be arming themselves. Were the droids against the Empire too?

Corrin offered to scout the left, and Ronaan was taking the right. Reva considered. She’d rather go with Ronaan, but the younger man wasn’t from the city and didn’t know the area. She cleared her throat. “I can go with Skarnsson,” she said. “I know this area, the Lugnuts used to claim this turf.” She nodded towards Thomas. “Ronaan knows the area too, it would be a waste for me to go with him.” She hesitated. “Unless we can think of a way to deactivate those droids?”

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik, @Vehn, @Anedon, @galactic-vagabond422, @Adalia-Durron, @TheAdmiral, @Bodhran777, @The Jedi in the Pumas, @Sarge, @RIP.CommanderPonds

 

IC: Chrondarr
Big Coynite in the City

On top of the ridgeline, Chrondarr stared into Grad, appalled. He had seen Grad before, even entered the city a couple of times in his life, and it hadn't taken him long to decide he didn't like cities. They were scars upon the face of the land, affronts to the spirits of the world as it should be.

But Grad now... There were no words for what it had become. The pavement and structures were broken and twisted, burning and shattered, tearing the land, leaking industrial fluids polluting the soil and water, smoke and dust choking the air. He had never seen anything so foul. And he suspected it would get worse if they moved closer. No doubt the buildings and streets were scattered with corpses that had not been properly cared for. He was glad he had told Windsong he would take her place caring for the mounts.

"Chrondarr, take up the rear of the column." The order came from Kain. Kain was his chief now. Obeying did not come naturally to one who had spent most of his life roaming the highlands alone. But he remembered many clan hunts for dangerous prey, prey that could quickly turn into predator if the clan did not work together. He would obey. Disobedience could get good people killed.

Good people. Who am I to decide which people are good? I killed a man I did not even know. Was he a good man? He wore the uniform of those who had often proved by their actions that they were not good. Is that reason enough to kill?

He checked his crossbow. The magazine full of broadhead hunting arrows might not be effective. He reloaded with heavy armor-piercing arrows. After a long hesitation, he began working the hand pump that pressurized the crossbow's air canister. That was one of the bow's features that he very rarely had any need for; it would automatically recock the weapon after each shot, so he could shoot as fast as he could pull the trigger.

Soon they were moving through the streets. It was as bad as he had anticipated. Often worse.

There were droids. Droids made Chrondarr uncomfortable; they didn't belong in the natural order of the world he lived in. But if had to fight in this war, he'd rather destroy droids than kill people. He pushed away the image of his arrow tearing into a soldier's throat and spilling red blood down white armor.

"I'll go to the right," Ronaan said, "but I need someone to go with me. I'm no good to anyone if I don't have support."

Ronaan was a killer. But he seemed to think before he killed. He killed carefully, and Chrondarr sensed that killing left scars on the man's spirit. In this war, perhaps that was what counted as a good man. And he had saved Chrondarr's life with one of his careful shots.

They made eye contact and Chrondarr nodded silently, then turned to search for threats in the alien streets around them. A faint gust of wind filled his eyes with duracrete dust and toxic smoke. He blinked away tears.


TAG: @Vehn

 

IC: Corrin Skarnsson, Reva Cambrion
Grad, the ruined industrial district, almost sunset

Reva cleared her throat. “I can go with Skarnsson,” she said. “I know this area, the Lugnuts used to claim this turf.” She nodded towards Thomas. “Ronaan knows the area too, it would be a waste for me to go with him.” She hesitated. “Unless we can think of a way to deactivate those droids?” There was no response, and she looked to the young man.

Corrin gave Reva a short nod, he would have preferred doing this with Tauriel as she was experienced in the wilderness while Reva was from the "civilized" world. But she would have to do he supposed, and maybe she could even prove useful. "Suggest I take the lead," he told her after they had brought a few steps of distance between themselves and the rest of the group. "Path ahead could be dangerous."

Reva hesitated, then nodded. "Okay," she said. They started along the road to the left, moving slowly. Reva kept glancing up at the graffiti. "If we go down two blocks, we should be able to turn right on Fabrikat boulevard, and that runs straight to city center through the entire industrial district."

"Sounds like a plan," Corrin responded quietly. "Best we head through the ruins and take cover wherever we can, also from overhead, if there is fighting going on TIEs might be on their way."

Reva bit her lip. "There isn't much left here for them to destroy," she said bitterly.

"When I learned one thing about the empire, its that there is always something for them to destroy, be it made from concrete and steel or flesh and blood," Corrin said darkly as he begun climbing up the side of a ruined building.

Reva watched him in astonishment. "Where are you going? That wall might not be stable!"

"We have to get up somewhere, and I've got a good feeling at this part," Corrin said as he pulled himself up. His instincts usually told him what parts of environments where save and which where not and he had learned to trust them. Turning around he offered Reva his hand to help her follow him.

Reva watched him in disbelief, then took a deep breath. "Corrin," she said carefully, "once we're in the building, there is no way out. We'll have to leave to go to the building next to it. It will be faster if we move along the ground, and there are more escape routes if we get caught. I know where we are, I live --lived-- in Grad, you know. And besides, these--" she indicated the graffiti "--these are markers for the various gangs who were fighting the Empire. If any of them survived, we'll be able to tell; they will leave fresh marks. Come on, come on down. We'll have more mobility on the ground. Once we get to the boulevard, we can go inside if we can find one with the upper levels intact, and see if we can scout from up above."

Corrin noticed the urgency in Reva´s voice, how important it was to her not to climb up to these heights. "Fine," he said with a shrug. Jumping down from the wall he landed next to his companion. "Then I suggest you go ahead from now, you should have said you know about this place."

Reva smiled at him. "I do know this area," she said. "I had a lot of patients and customers here. Now..." She peered around the corner, crouching low to the ground as she'd been taught. No sign of life. She looked across the street, and up at the shattered remains of the buildings there. Nothing. Nothing in the sky, the security sensors smashed and destroyed. "Okay," she said, "here we go. It's usually a five minute walk."

She stepped out on to the street, hugging the side of the building and staying low, continually scanning for danger. When they reached an alcove, an old storefront, they slipped in there. Reva took a moment to look through the doorway. "This was a tapcafe," she said sadly. "They had an amazing selection of teas."

Corrin said nothing to Reva's words for a while, instead following his own thoughts.

"Your people?" he said after a while, "did they make it out?" If they did they could always come back, rebuild what had been destroyed. If they where like his tribe, then there was nothing left.

"I don't know. The city was intact when I left. I don't know where Gran could be, we lived in the Market district, near the spaceport." Reva glanced up and down the street again, and they scurried to the next storefront. "I hope when we meet our objective that Kain will give me some time to go check and see if she's okay."

Now Corrin understood why Reva had been so insistent to accompany him on the scouting mission. His sympathy for her grew as he realized how similar they probably where despite their differing heritage. "If it was up to me the search for survivors would have top priority," he told her as they continued their way.

"I'm not sure what our objective even is," she confessed, "but I suppose we need to see if we can keep them from killing and injuring more people first. Neutralize the threat, then help the injured." She looked back at him. "You don't have family in the city, do you? I thought I heard you came from the hill region?"

"Used to, they're all gone now, the empire is hunting the tribes for sport these days," Corrin said, his voice giving away the hatred in his soul. "Only thing that is left was ashes."

Reva heard the edge of anger in his voice, but beneath it, she felt his pain. A pain that thudded in her own chest. She touched his arm and squeezed gently. "They will answer for it," she said. "One day, they will face justice for what they have done." She glanced out at the street. Still clear. They moved forward.

"They will," Corrin agreed. May the gods have mercy on them then, cause I won´t. "I will make them pay for every man, woman and child they killed. Vowed that on the ashes of my tribe." That´s what I´m living for. "I hope we can find at least some of your people, tough, if the fighting is still going on there might be still a chance that they are alive." And that you won´t end up like me... he added in his thoughts.

Reva glanced at him anxiously. Intense anger there, the heat of it was almost tangible. So much anger, so much grief.. it could make him ill. "The lane is still clear," she said. If you could consider a road full of debris, bodies, and damaged transport clear. "Let's get to the boulevard, then go and report back."

They moved forward as the smoke drifted around them.

TAG: Anyone (including whoever decides to catch up & tag along)

 

IC: Geralt
Outskirts of the Factory District

Before anything else reached his ears or eyes, Geralt first noticed the smoke. Plumes of it drifted lazily over the city, forming a giant black cloud that hung loosely over everything. Immediately, Geralt perceived the smell of it- a sharp and dry metallic sting that made his head light, and his throat feel as if it was swallowing sandpaper. Pinewood smoke was one thing- It was light and soft- but city smoke was another entirely. It was dark and heavy, and the plastoids and metals that had burned filled the air with noxious poisons and gases. "We need to be careful of the air," he said to no one in particular.

Of course, there was no one to listen to him. He had stayed in the back of the column, and kept his distance. He didn't even know if he wanted to come to the city. In the countryside, things were simple. Your neighbors helped, and you helped back. The animals killed and hunted, and you returned the favor. Simplicity, even in its most base form of slaughter and eating, was preferable to the political games that were played here on a daily basis. However, Geralt noticed dryly, There wasn't much of a city left to "politic" in.

The lives lost were a tragedy, and Geralt could almost hear the voices of the dead as his boots padded softly through the rubble. But he would not miss this place. He seemed to only remember the shadows of the alleys and the knives in people's back. It was always justified of course; he took my food. He stole my water. But did ends ever justify the means? Clearly, the Empire seemed to think so. To Geralt, evil was evil, and revenge was for the weak.

Nonetheless, here he was, with a ragtag group of rebels he met on the road, here to save the people and avenge the city. The voices of past deeds echoed in his head. Things never change. Renfri, her neck sliced viciously in his mind's eye, gloated in front of him. You never can NOT get involved, can you? Her ghost drifted away with a whisper- Choose the lesser evil.

Kain, the leader of the group, suddenly stopped the column. The droning of an old Tactical Series Droid could be heard faintly from where Geralt was, issuing instructions. That complicated things. Damn. Even destroyed, the city still seemed to exist just to spite Geralt. In front of him, Geralt could hear decisions being made. Ronaan and Windsong took a street to the right of the Junction behind the droid camp, while the rest stood silently and waited.

"Hmm," Geralt grunted, something he did by instinct whenever he was in thought. Even when he tried to not do it, unconsciously he still would. Ciri used to make fun of him for it. Immediately painful memories resurfaced, which he buried immediately. It was always the city that made things painful- but more that that, he needed to stay alive, and to do so, he couldn't be distracted.

The sorties flown by the TIE fighters needed to be stopped, that was apparent to Geralt- and probably everyone- immediately. He just wondered where they were taking off from. The group had a limited reach- They could only hit targets on the ground, so the Empire could simply sit safely in orit with one of there ships and let their pilots do the dirty work. If that was the case, the battle was already over, and whoever fought was doing it in vain. But there was a chance- even if it was a slim one- that those TIEs were launching from airfields on the ground. If they were, Geralt could get to them.

If there was one thing about absolute power, Geralt noticed, it bred hubris and laziness. would the Imperials really be foolish enough to deliver they're most prized weapons in their war theater to their opponents because of their overconfidence alone? Geralt hoped so. If not, well, the single-minded courage of Kain would have them fight anyways. And if a Star Destroyer held those fighters in a hangar, far up in the atmosphere, if that truly was the case, it wouldn't matter- they were all dead men walking. But if not, they had a chance.

As was Geralt's way, he peeled off silently back down the street in search of a vantage point- maybe, just maybe, to find where those TIEs were refueling. HE turned, only to find Chrondarr 5 paces behind him. Geralt grunted. This was why he worked alone- he hated explanations. He took a deep breath, and tried to brush Chrondarr off him with a simple sentence.

"I'm going to find the airfield. I'll be back," He said simply, as he tried to step past him.

TAG: @Sarge , @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Jori Atreus
On the road to Grad

Jori gasped and covered her mouth when she saw the destruction of the city. Those savages! Anger flared inside her, a righteous one, she wanted to make those monsters pay for what they have done to her planet! This must not go unpunished, that made her even more determined to see her mission fulfilled. She eyed Lian with whom she had barely time to talk.

Jori had given him the datapad and the wrapped thumb, along with the data cylinder. She had explained to him what she had managed to find on it and asked him to take a look and check whether or not he could break the encryption. Her guts were telling her that it contained something important, but what exactly she could not say.

They were walking towards the ruined city. She remained silent, checking the surroundings, taking an occasional picture, she was going to try and plaster the images on the HoloNet. Hopefully enough people will see them before the ISB takes them down. You can never tell who might decide to rebel.

She coughed softly from the soot and the smoke. She covered her mouth with her scarf, not much protection, but was better than nothing. Her boots crunched pieces of rubble lying on the ground, broken glass snapped as they stepped on it.

Jori gasped as she saw a figure in a burning store, but then realized it was only a mannequin. Her attention was attracted by the sound of mechanical voices. Oh great! Just great! Battle Droids, as if the Empire was not enough, now the Separatist war machines had risen from their graves to haunt them too. What have they all done to deserve such a punishment!?

They were splitting into two groups. She could not decide which to join, nor did she think that she could be of any help. Then her mind clicked as she remembered something. She approached Kain “I don’t think I will be of much use in a firefight, but I think I know someone who could help us get in. He used to be a source for me, maybe I can look for him. I can go alone, that will be faster, unless you want to give me some backup.”

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik @Bodhran777 @Vehn @Sarge @Adalia-Durron @RIP.CommanderPonds @Mistress_Renata

 

Connor Neil
Grad

The fire of anger burned in Connor's heart as he looked over the destruction of Grad. He'd heard stories of the place in its heyday, a beautiful city and the pride of the planet. Now it was destroyed, in flames rubble from toppled buildings all over the streets. The rage built and built in him as he continued to walk, continued to exist in this ghost town. Blaster fire and explosions echoed in the distance, someone was still fighting, still trying to free this place.

Sure it was gone, sure it was a mess but the first step to recovery was getting the Empire to back off. They needed the free the land before they could fix the city. Connor gripped the hilt of his sword almost ready to run towards the sounds of combat, to kill every stormtrooper or officer he could find to make Imperials pay in blood for taking and destroying this once gleaming city.

However their mission was not to go running off and fighting everything in an imperial uniform...as much as he would like that. Coming close to the factory Connor already had his pistol out, his hand ready to draw his blade and dash into battle behind Skarnsson. The need of action never came leaving the young man with a still burning desire to hurt the empire that was being denied to him.

As the teams started splitting up Connor looked to Jorri then to Kain.

"I can go with her, streets arn't safe." Looking to the woman, "And despite everything, I can be discrete when needed."

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik @Bodhran777 @Vehn @Sarge @Adalia-Durron @RIP.CommanderPonds @Mistress_Renata @TheAdmiral

 

GM Update
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IC: Elim Kain
Factory district, Grad, Skarn

Kain stayed his ground as the group began to split up. Skarrnson and Cambrion moved to scout ahead on their left, while Ronaan, Windsong and Chrondarr went off to scout to the group's right. Meanwhile Atreus wanted to find one of her sources amidst all the chaos here. Neil volunteered to go with her and Kain begrudgingly nodded his assent. "Be quick about it," he hissed to them as the fighter's above began to veer away, headed back towards the coast. Kain to look to Lian who was busy on his comm equipment. The Ardennian held up five fingers on three of his hands. He'd broken into the comms for flight operations and was telling Kain that another group of fighters wouldn't be on station for another fifteen minutes. Now was their time to move. "That goes for everyone," he added as the three groups split off form the main group.

The tactical droid in charge of the droid army must have been privy to the same information that Lian had, for as soon as the fighters left the order went out among the droid army to attack. As one, the droids stood to and began to advance, the one's with rifles firing as they did so.

​

Blaster fire answered them almost immediately from the other side of the battlefield, from trenches manned by Imperial army troopers. Small arms mostly from the sound of things, with perhaps a few E-Web repeaters mixed in. The defenses didn't seem all that strong to Kain and he wondered just how thinly stretched the Empire was here in the city. The droids didn't seem to care about the strength of the enemy before them, they simply marched forward and advanced, and emotionless wave. True to their orders, as a droid fell the one behind it would pick up his blaster rifle and began shooting. Slowly the droid force began to move forward, they were losing droids yes, but there were too many of them, soon they would overwhelm the beleaguered Imperial soldiers.

Kain now looked at those who remained, Lian, Pathfinder, Wuu and Ponds. He explained now the the latter what was common knowledge among seasoned resistance fighters, "The airbase is on the other side of the continent." He shook his head slowly dismissing the man's search for a refueling station even before it began. "It's two weeks ride, and even if it were next door, it's too well defended." Pathfinder nodded at that. "Many groups have tried to assault the airfield, none have succeeded." Pathfinder looked down at the dirt muttering to himself. "Including my old cell..." Kain gave him a solemn nod in reply.

"We wait for word from one of the scout teams, and then follow them in." He made sure the four still with him understood that. "If they can't find a way in, maybe Jori's contact will." From his position huddled behind the line of advancing battle droids, Kain watched through his macrobinoculars as the two scouting groups moved on ahead. It wasn't easy, they moved swiftly and smartly through the rubble strewn streets, blending in with their environment and finally he lost track of each of them. He looked to his Ardennian communications expert helplessly. Lain was now their only link to either scouting party, through him they would be able to communicate with Kain via their own comm links. All he could do now was wait.

TAG: @The Jedi in the Pumas @Bodhran777 @RIP.CommanderPonds

---

The right flank...

Along the right flank, the trio of rebels made up of Ronaan, Windsong and Chrondarr moved quickly through the ruined city streets until they came to the ruined rail line. It used to run straight from the rail yard to the factory, a spur line for raw materials to come in, and finished product to be shipped out, though it clearly hadn't been used for some time. It had been cut, several times and in several places here near the factory, by what looked to be a series of bombings. Some of the damage had at various times been repaired, the ugly patch works of Imperial work was readily apparent, but for now no work was being done and the rail spur here at the factory was quite ruined. The group waited there, hidden in the ruins of an old tapcaf surveying the rail line for a few moments before making the decision to cross over it. It appeared to be safe, and there were no patrols here.

Behind them and far off to their left they could all hear blaster fire, not only from the advancing droids, but return fire from the Imperial troopers manning the trenches. The stench of ozone hung heavy in the air, and though they were too far away to hear any orders being shouted by the Imperials, it seemed their lines were holding. For now. having passed over the rail line the group took shelter in a small depression, a bomb crater or perhaps even a hastily dug and now unused foxhole. It would serve to protect them from stray blaster fire or shrapnel zipping by as they considered their next move towards the factory.

Peeking over the side of the depression, staying as low as possible so as not to be noticed by either the Imperials or the attacking droids, they could now see that the Imperial lines were manned by dirt and mud stained Imperial Army troopers. They seemed to be having a rather bad day as the droid attack pressed forward upon them. Looking for a way forward they could see now that the shallow depression they were in was just one in a string of them, spaced several meters apart leading from the head of the still intact portion of the rail line towards the factory. Using them them as safe rally points they began to leap frog forward, moving closer to the Imperial line. It was only after they had moved to their second dugout that they realized, these weren't prepared fighting positions, nor craters caused by bombings. They were enormous footprints, dug into the soft mud by something very large, and very heavy...

​

TAG: @Adalia-Durron @Sarge @Vehn

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The left flank...

Just as on the right side, the pair of rebels who had gone off to scout the left flank had also quickly navigated the ruined city before coming to a debris strewn street just across from the factory. The way across looked to be clear, but from where they sat crouched inside the remains of an old hoverbus they could see what appeared to be a small outpost, hastily constructed out of the rubble around them. It overlooked the street, protecting the flanks of the Imperial trenches as well as overlooking the broad avenue abutting the factory. Receiving no challenge from it, and no weapons fire either, it seemed that whoever was manning the outpost hadn't seen them. Yet.

Behind their position, and off to their far right the battle between the droids and the Imperial army troopers raged on. It would serve as a distraction if any wanted to push farther forward here, though that outpost would still stand in their way. Observing it more carefully though the pair of rebels determined that it was unmanned, totally abandoned. Moving out from under the cover of the wrecked hover bus the pair moved slowly towards it, weapons ready for anything though upon their arrival they would see that their preparedness was totally unwarranted. The outpost was indeed deserted, though it had not simply been abandoned. The small makeshift bunker was home to four bodies, fresh ones by the looks of it, and all wearing Imperial Army uniforms.

Three had died of blood loss, their throats slit, the blood that had pooled beneath them was still warm and hadn't even begun to blacken yet. Two of these bodies still had their weapons slung over their shoulders, though the third was entangled in his sling, as if he had been trying to make ready when he had been killed. The fourth Imperial trooper had clearly been killed by blaster fire, the still smoking hole in his chest bespoke to that. His blaster rifle was still grasped in his dead hands, and it had been discharged.

Moving into the bunker the pair of rebels soon caught sight of what the dead man had been firing at. Scattered among the debris were bits and pieces of metal, the shininess of them demonstrated they were far newer additions to the detritus found here. Most was unidentifiable, whatever the soldier had fired at had exploded upon being struck. There was however one large piece of debris that had been left behind by whoever, or rather whatever, had attacked the outpost. It was a the remains of a battle droid of some kind, though only the head was recognizable.

​

TAG: @Mistress_Renata @Anedon

---

Searching...

While the two scout groups encountered their own mysteries another pair of rebels, Jori and Connor, set out into the ruined city in their own efforts to find out what was going on in the factory. Their progress was just as quick as the two others, even though they weren't quite headed in the same general direction (towards the factory) as the others were. Instead, they moved farther into the city proper, away from the factory district in their efforts to find Jori's mysterious "source." It wasn't long however before their own journey began to bear fruit of it's own.

The parts of the city they moved through was just as bad as what they had already encountered. Streets filled with the debris of the ruined buildings around them, bodies, bloated and burned. Some wore the colors of various local militias, but there were civilians in among them as well. All had been stripped of anything useful. Occasionally, from within a wrecked building or pile of debris they could catch wary glances from half starved and frightened people. People who scampered away if their look was returned for more than a fleeting moment.

One group though didn't avert their eyes and run at the sight of the pair of rebels. Instead, with a malicious glint in their eyes, a half dozen men came out of hiding and leveled blaster rifles at the pair. "Well what have we here?" one of them, evidently the leader, asked sardonically. "Are you two lost?" he sneered as he asked the clearly rhetorical question. "They look lost don't they?" He gently punched the shoulder of one of his comrades who replied nastily. "Yes, they certainly look lost."

​

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @TheAdmiral

OOC: Hey folks, moved everyone's group forward a bit here. I provided a basic outline of what they all would have seen, but please feel free to fill in the blanks on your character's journey as you see fit. I've drawn up a quick and dirty (not to scale) map for most of our character's positions relative to one another. The green arrow on the left represents where Anedon and Renanta's characters are (the wiped out Imperial army outpost). The green arrow all the way to the right is where Sarge, Addie and vehn's character's find themselves (among the large and evenly spaced footprints they are using as dugouts). The green arrow towards the bottom of the map is where Bodhran, Pumas, and Pond's characters are at (along with Kain and Pathfinder). The rest of the map is, I hope, fairly self explanatory, though if there are any questions please ask. You can reach me either via PM or in the OOC thread.

Spoiler: map

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As to the last group, vagabond and TheAdmiral's, I didn't note your character's location on the map as it isn't particularly relevant and also so we can play a little fast and loose with just where your characters ended up. They will be somewhere within the city limits, perhaps even "off map" beyond the bottom of the map.

 

OOC: Many thanks to @Adalia-Durron and @Sarge for the joint post! As usual it was a blast!



IC: Thomas Ronaan, Chrondarr, and Tauriel Windsong
Streets of Grad

Thomas felt a sickening feeling swarm his gut as he gazed at the battle erupting between the droids and the Imperial Army soldiers. This feeling was only heightened as he gazed downward to find massive footprints forming the basis of his current position. That made him uneasy. Immediately he looked around for the source of the footprints half wondering if an AT-AT lurked about somewhere in this urban hell.

Seeing nothing he returned his gaze to the factory. He recognized this place. It'd been one of many places his students would work during the summer. They'd earned good wages. They'd often talk about how long the shifts were and how hard the job could be or even how unrelenting management treated them. Thomas always took the opportunity to remind them that they could choose a different path if they pursued an education. He never pushed them to go against what they felt. That wasn't his style. No, he was more the throw an idea out there and watch it stick. Or not.

"I wish I had a death stick," Thomas groaned, "I miss them. Kicked the habit years ago but its times like these.."

His voice trailed off.

"I wish you two could've seen this city before the war," Thomas said, "it was beautiful."

Tauriel had her bow loaded, her index finger holding the broadhead in place she instinctively crouched as the distant battle erupted. She listened as Ronaan spoke and raised an almost judgmental eyebrow at the mention of 'Deathsticks'. She'd heard of how addictive they were and despite the fact he'd 'kicked' the habit, she still wondered how anyone can submit to such things. Scanning the area she gave a slow nod. "I imagine this place a bustling metropolis, war is so destructive." She said in a hushed tone.

Chrondarr's face was stony as the droids advanced against the Imperial troops. Apparently these droids were his allies. Until now, it hadn't occurred to him that the machines would have a common goal of pushing the enemy off Skarn. He was unmoved as many of them were blasted into junk, just adding to the wreckage that further spoiled the land. Does this mean that I'm already growing hard of spirit, lacking connection to those of common cause? Even though the machines have no spirit?

His mind was evading the thought of what must come soon. He would have to fight the soldiers. Kill the people, the ones with true spirits, dark as they might be. Is there no other way?

He turned to search all around them, watching for hidden attackers from any directions. No doubt the enemy also had shooters like Ronaan who would gun them down from a distance if they were offered an easy target. Better to keep moving. But where to move to? This terrain was as alien to him as another world, and he suspected Windsong was nearly as lost here as he was. He looked to Ronaan.

"Where do we go from here? What can we do?"

Thomas winced as he pulled his rifle forward. His shoulder ached. An old injury. He was thankful he’d have the foresight to wrap the weapon in dirty, dull, brown cloth so as to reduce the chances of being spotted by another sharpshooter.

Pulling out his macros he scanned the area ahead. The Imperial trenches were a no go. The fight there too hot and heavy. Besides the longer that was going on the longer they could slip on by.

That left the mystery of the footprints. What had made these? He wasn’t an expert on Imperial weapons. His time in Grad before had been to take out soft targets. Human targets. Not machines. Others had specialized in that area.

“Air cover is gone. We need to move fast. Factory has a second floor. External staircase south side. We need to get up there to provide over watch and get a better idea of our surroundings. You two should move on forward. Use these dugouts for protection. Leap frog as we have been. I will cover your advance. Just in case we have enemy snipers.”

Thomas settled into the ground draping his ghillie suit around him. Urban combat was so different. So unique. He had to modify his camouflage to adjust to the new setting before entering Grad.

He set aside his macros and peered through his scope. A quick scan indicated all was clear.

“Go,now,” he ordered.

Tauriel slowly stood up, trusting that he'd scanned for snipers, she started toward the South side of the building. Or what was left of the building she mused as she glanced over to Chrondaar and waited for him to join her. Once close enough while she scanned the area she asked. "What happened to minding the beasts?"

"Kain told Xard and Professor to watch them. He told me to bring up the rear. So here I am." Chrondarr peered over the rim of the hole in the ground, choosing his next refuge. The nearest hole was the obvious choice, so he decided to skip that one and sprint as best he could to the one beyond that. He took a deep breath, crouched, and leaped out of the hole, powering across the open ground, zig-zagging slightly, and hurdled into another crater.

There were bones in the bottom of the hole. Not large ones. An animal? A young human? He couldn't tell at a glance, and this was not the time to study them closely. Let the spirit of this being know peace. If there is any to be had.

He raised his head and crossbow, searching for attackers, and glanced back to see if Ronaan and Windsong had advanced.

Thomaes watched as the others had moved forward without incident. He grunted and hoisted himself onto his knees. He'd been in the best shape of his life ever since the war broke out. Lugging around his heavy rifle and gear had a way of doing that to a person. He supposed, in some strange irony, the war had been better on his health. Mentally, however, it had nearly destroyed every last bit of who he had been not so very long ago.

He slid into a dugout in front of Chrondarr and rested his rifle against the edge of the pit. He took out his macros and scanned again. Always on the lookout for enemy snipers. Stray blaster bolts flew beyond the front lines and landed pathetically in front of him. It wasn't an immediate danger but it was something to keep an eye out for especially since all it would take to bring him down was one stray shot from some lucky droid or Imperial Army goon.

Thomas brought a hand up and motioned the others to hurry along. They were almost to the factory. He set the macros down as he needed a big picture view of the area. Suddenly a powerful bolt slammed into the dirt in the next dugout rocking a helmeted Imperial Army corpse ever so slightly. Thomas felt a chill slip down his spine. That wasn't a standard blaster rifle.

Sniper! The corpse is a trap. How very Imperial. Use one of their dead to bait rebel factions to come loot the body and then bang. Either he knows we're here and is trying to sucker us in or he is inexperienced and is giving away his position....Thomas thought as he tucked his rifle tight against his chest.

Thomas winced as another shot rang out and landed with a thud nearby. He looked frantically in the direction of Chrondarr and Windsong. Had they been hit?

Tag: @Sarge; @Adalia-Durron; @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Reva Cambrion
Grad, the Industrial district
A ruined bunker

Reva could smell death even before they entered the bunker. She checked for pulses, but the amount of blood was a giveaway. She looked at the ruined droid, curious. She didn’t know much about droids, but what little she did know said that these old Republic-era battle droids had almost nothing in the way of artificial intelligence. They relied strongly on their programming, and were usually controlled from a remote location. Were these droids independently attacking Imperial forces? Or were they being controlled by one of the militias? She hadn’t heard of any that had access to a droid army. Useful allies, if they did. In any case…

The two of them picked over the soldiers’ equipment, finding rations, medpacs, toolkits, and weapons. Reva took a blaster, with extra power packs, and took a helmet that didn’t seem bloody.

She looked at Corrin. “Maybe you should go back and tell Kain we’ve found a way around. And that the droids are anti-Imp, if he hasn’t figured it out already. I’ll stay here, or I’ll find cover nearby if things start to get messy.” She adjusted the commlink in her ear. She could hear the Imperial chatter, now. She got some of the other commlinks, and passed them to her comrade. “Maybe Kain can make use of these.”

TAG: @Anedon, @Bardan_Jusik, anyone else

 

IC: Cedilla Alta
Warm at home, in Grad, Market Square District
Fifteen hours earlier…

“RRAAAAAOOOOWWW!!!”

Dilly Alta groaned and tried to roll over. There was a rock on her chest. She blinked awake, trying to push it off. It wasn’t a rock, it was soft, warm and furry. “RRRAAAAAAOOOOWWW!” it said, butting its furry head up against her.

“Oh, for…” Dilly levered herself sideways to the edge of the bed, and stretched to tap the glowlight. Now she could see, it was Moxx, her youngest cat, frantically trying to wake her. “What?” she said. “What is your problem? It’s not time for breakfast yet.” She peered blearily at the chron embedded in the wall. 0300. “Nowhere near time for breakfast.” She heard a loud rumble. Thunder. Ah, that must be what had him agitated. She looked around. The oldest cat, Big Bogo, was curled up by her feet, but his head was up and he was staring at the ceiling. It must be a terrific storm if he was paying attention. She couldn’t see Scrounger at first, but then she saw a black tail lashing out from underneath the curtain. So he was on the windowsill watching the storm.

“It’s just weather,” she assured them. And since she was awake anyway… After a quick trip to the ‘fresher, she went to the kitchen and took the stairs up to her rooftop garden. She loved to watch a thunderstorm, and she could stand under the roof sheltering the doorway to watch the lightning strikes. The sky was pink on the horizon. Odd, it was too early for sunrise. Come to think of it, the sun didn’t rise from that direction. Dilly blinked. Could there be a fire at the spaceport? Moxx was pressing up against her ankles, wailing piteously. Scrounger had followed them, and jumped up on to a planter, staring at the sky.

TIE fighters. A lot of them. They were flying low, and the screech of their engines made Dilly wince. Why… And then she gasped. They were firing! Bolts of green spitting from their cannons, smashing into the buildings outside of the spaceport. They were attacking the spaceport! For a moment, she stood there, indecisive. But an old instinct, from her memories of the Clone Wars, stirred her. Get out.

She moved then, as quickly as she could. In the bedroom, she spread the fluffy coverlet out on the bed and pulled on some warm clothes and the heavy boots she used to wear in the garden. She threw a few extra items of clothing, her comb, and another pair of shoes into the center of the coverlet, and bundled it up. In the kitchen, she took the emergency handlamp and the first aid kit from their cabinet, and put spare energy pacs in her pocket, along with some old-fashioned rushlights and a firestarter. A small metal pot, a spoon, a fork, a knife, two metal cups and a flask, which she filled with water… She shook out a towel for cleaning the dishes and put some bread, fruit and packets of nuts and tea.

There was a deep rumble and the small apartment shook. Dilly wrapped up the food, and made a bundle of the coverlet to hold it all together. She paused. She didn’t have any soap, and she’d forgotten her toothbrush… A loud crash. The house shook and she jumped as the glass in the windows shattered. Forget the toothbrush.

Clutching her bundle, she ran down the stairs and into the street. Moxx and Scrounger were close behind her. There was no sign of Big Bogo. She hesitated, but she couldn’t spare the time to go back in and look for him. Now, where to go? Away from the spaceport. She could see a glow over the end of the street, and a few people were beginning to look out the window, coming outside in confusion, but for the most part the streets were empty. Away from the spaceport, then. She hurried along as quickly as she could, and then a figure in white armor appeared before her. Dilly froze. Would he tell her what was going on?

“Miz Alta!” Dilly blinked. This wasn’t a Stormtrooper, he was wearing Clone Armor. And now she knew who he was.

“Sergeant Twitch!” she said. He was a vagrant, an elderly Clone trooper. Normally he moved between the spaceport and the Market, picking up odd jobs. Although she was older than he was, he seemed much older. Clones aged more rapidly than human beings, and those of his ‘brothers’ who had lived through the War had not survived for long after. He was the only one left, and said little to anyone, lost in depression and loneliness. Dilly had always felt sorry for him, and had found jobs that he could do for money. She’d also bought extra food when she shopped, and when she dined out she’d ordered an extra meal, then found a way to pass it along to him with the excuse that she had a small appetite and simply couldn’t finish it all.

“Miz Alta, you have to get under cover!” he said. “The city is under attack.” His voice sounded strange, filtered through the helmet.

“They’re going after the spaceport,” she said. “If I can get to my brother’s place…” Twitch shook his head.

“I’m tapped into their comms, they’re taking out the whole city. You need to get somewhere safe.” He hesitated. “Do you remember the old transit tunnels?”

“My grandmother told me about them,” said Dilly. When her grandmother was a child, she said there had been long carrier cars that ran on tracks underground the city. They’d gone out of use and been filled up before the Clone Wars began.

“You can hide down there,” said Twitch. “The entrances were sealed up, most of them, but the tunnel system is still there. They’re far enough underground that you should be safe there.” He took the bundle from her. “Come on, this way.”

She followed him down the street, around a corner, into an alley… there was an old access hatch in the wall. Overhead, the TIE fighters screamed by, louder than the screams of the people who were pouring out into the streets, desperately running without knowing where to go.

It wasn’t easy, crawling down the tunnel. Moxx and Scrounger ran ahead of her, disappearing into the darkness. She had no idea where she was going, but Twitch was behind her. He patted her on the backside. She froze.

“Beg your pardon, ma’am, but you’ll need this.” He passed her something. She fumbled with it and a light came on. Ah! A headlamp, although she didn’t have room to fasten it around her head. “It’s not too much further, ma’am.” Ahead of them, the tunnel opened up to a small door, and a space tall enough to stand in. Twitch squeezed past her and turned the handle. “There you go, ma’am.”

There was a broad platform, with tiled walls and a stone floor. He led her to the end of it, then down a small ladder and on to the tracks. “I’ve got a place fixed up; I stay down here when the weather’s bad. It’s a little damp, and, uh, there’s some wildlife. Your cats can handle that, right enough.”

She was very tired when they came to another platform, like the first one. There was a blanket rolled up on a bench built into the wall, a few crates. Twitch took off his helmet and switched on a small lantern perched on one of the crates. “This is where I usually bunk,” he said. “There’s a few others down here, but you know all of them and they won’t give you any trouble. Your granddaughter’s helped them in the past, they owe you.”

When he knew she was settled, he put his helmet back on. “I’m going back up. In case there’s anyone else who needs a place to hunker down. But you’ll be okay.” He opened a crate, and gave her the blast pistol. “Use this if you need to. I’ll be back.”

“Thank you,” she called after him, but he was already gone, moving purposefully, as his aging body responded to the instinct that had been programmed into him.

And now what? She sat on the bench, leaning back against the tiled wall. The attack would have to end sometime. And then what? Where would she go? Moxx came out of the darkness, and curled up in her lap, trembling. Scrounger jumped up on to the bench, and curled up beside her, so that she could feel his warm body against her thigh. She closed her eyes, trying to stay alert. She’d have to wait and see what daylight brought.

 

IC: Corrin Skarnsson
Grad, the Industrial district
A ruined bunker

Corrin thought about the sight they had discovered. "So far we haven´t discovered much," he said to Reva. "Kain probably knows at this point that the droids are fighting the imperials. If we go back now he might just send us further down the path anyway and each time we go back and forth could lead to us being noticed." There was another reason he did not want to go back, he fought for these rebels as a scout, not an errand boy.

"I would suggest we hide this cache of supplies," he suggested gesturing at the comlink. "Then we go forward, carefully and see if we can make out what is driving the machine spirits against the empire, if it gets too risky we turn around and recollect the hidden cache when we get the change."

Tag: @Mistress_Renata, @Bardan_Jusik

 

(OOC A combo post between @TheAdmiral, @Bardan_Jusik and myself)

Connor Neil, Jori Atreus
Grad

Connor kept low, kept as quiet as he could as he made his way through the ruined city. It was even worse than he thought. Bodies littered the street, picked clean of anything useful and left to rot. There were times the stench of death was almost overpowering. Gritting his teeth he forced down his bile and the remnants of his last meal at the tavern. This was disgusting, seeing what the Empire had reduced this once great city to. Dead stacking up and her residents forced to hide and steal from the dead. It only drove home the the point, the Empire had to go, and quick before it became worse.

Coming around a corner a group of militia turned their attention towards the pair. There was violence in their eyes, and weapons already raised. Connor's hand reached for his blaster but, he paused for only a moment.

"Why don't we let bygones be bygones, lads? No need for violence." He didn't want to kill these people they were fighting the Empire, but he wouldn't be squemish about drawing down on them. Though they had the jump on him and Jori. Getting them talking might give them an opening.

Jori was glad that she had company as she was not sure whether it would have been a good idea sneaking around in a warzone alone. The devastation was horrible, but she had to push it in the back of her mind as it was a distraction and those things made you careless and that was the surest way to get killed. The duo walked silently as not to attract too much attention, besides there was not much to be said, aside of how much they hated the Empire.

But it seems that did not help them either as they were encircled by some unsavoury characters. Another reason to be glad she had company as she was sure that if she were alone the encounter might have gone in a different way. She let Connor speak as not to attract too much attention on herself.

"Sure, sure. No need for violence," the first man said with a nasty smirk. "Just hand over your weapons and equipment and you'll be free to go." The second man chuckled at that. "Consider it a donation to the Skarnian People's Liberation Front." There was more laughter that was accompanied by the sound of blaster safeties being clicked to fire.

Jori tensed, giving them their weapons was akin to committing suicide "Great job guys, instead of fighting the Empire you are just here maraudering." she wanted to bite her tongue as she had stepped forward without thinking "Why don't you beat it?" she continued on autopilot.

Connor stepped forward with her, hand on his pistol.

"I'd suggest you listen to her lads. We've had a rough day and I don't think you want to make it any worse for us." He lowered his voice setting them with his best glare tapping into the rage that simmered just below the surface.

The leader of the partisan band looked to his comrades. "We outnumber you three to one," he finally replied to the pair of rebels with a smirk. "We could just take what we want." The last was said with an uncomfortable edge as his gaze lingered on Jori.

"Like hell you will..." Connor drew his pistol letting off a steam of blaster bolts from his repeating pistol hoping to kill at least one, and provide some covering fire. He grabbed Jori's hand and dragged her with him as he dove for cover behind a burned out speeder. "Something tells me those lads didn't want to calmly talk things out."

Jori knew what the guy tried to convey to them and she was used to attracting such kind of attention, not that she enjoyed it, but still. Connor took her by surprise by going trigger happy and spraying blasterfire everywhere. She crashed on the ground with a grunt and fumbled for her blaster pistol, not expecting getting into a firefight with some thugs. "I think we are beyond that." she nodded and as she managed to free the gun she opened fire, hoping that she would hit at least one.

TAG: @TheAdmiral @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Reva Cambrion, Corrin Skarnsson
Ruined bunker, the Industrial District of Grad
"I would suggest we hide this cache of supplies," Corrin suggested gesturing at the comlink. "Then we go forward, carefully and see if we can make out what is driving the machine spirits against the empire, if it gets too risky we turn around and recollect the hidden cache when we get the change."

Reva looked doubtful. "Okay," she said. "I thought we were just supposed to find a way around the fighting so the rest of the team could avoid it, but we can go looking for the source of the droid attack."

"Maybe we should split up then? You go back and report about our findings while I see to scout ahead a bit. Tough, you know more of these droids than I do, your help would be useful."

Reva shook her head. "I know this area, I'm familiar with it...or at least with the way it used to be. Better for me to stay here. Should we try to comm him? If you don't want to report in person? I don't know if it would be intercepted, but we should let him know our status."

"Maybe we could com him with something hidden?" Corrin said, "something that tells him that so far things are clear, but not alert anyone who could be listening." He didn´t know much about the codes the rebels might use but maybe Reva had an idea.

"Uh, maybe? I don't know much about encryptions," admitted Reva.

Corrin thought about this for a moment, then he took the com Cain had given him before they left, "so far things are clear." Cain would likely recognize his accented voice and thus know but to anyone else listening the message didn´t contain much valuable info.

"This should at least give him an idea," he told Reva before making his way outside of the building to continue ahead. The road here was muddier than the one before and Corrin noticed tracks on it. Kneeling down to further inspect them he recognized the syncronized prints of droid feet, going in various directions, but the majority pointing towards the factory, the same direction they were moving in. He gestured Reva to show it to her. "These prints are pretty recent, at most an hour I would say, probably less, some seem to go off but the majority is headed into the same direction. But they are imminent, so it seems the droids have broken formation."

Reva looked down at the tracks Corrin was pointing to. She hadn't even noticed them, but then, the streets weren't normally covered with enough dust or debris for tracks to be seen on the pavement. "There seem to be an awful lot of them," she mused. "We'd better be careful. Although we all seem to have the same objective, they won't necessarily consider us allies. We'd better continue to stay near cover, especially if the Imps have snipers hidden somewhere."

"That's for sure," Corrin agreed. "They seem to have a certain head start upon us and we are going to hear them the closer we come, that should help us avoid any nasty surprises, at least from the droids..." He thought about her warning about imperial snipers. "We should look out for destroyed machines, hit marks and anything suggesting resistance down the road, maybe there are survivors."

"Oh, I hope so," said Reva. It seemed impossible, but then, there wasn't a lot of housing in the Industrial District. Most workers came in from the other parts of the city, and most of the heavy manufacture was done by droids.

They moved forward cautiously, ducking into ruined doorways and behind hulks of transport.

Their pace was slow as both of them took their time to take cover and Corrin would often kneel down to have a closer look at tracks of the droids. But soon they came closer to the factory and the distant sounds of fighting became a bit louder with every step. "We should be more careful from now on," he told Reva. "Close to it now.

They crept closer. Reva squinted at the factory, which didn't seem too badly damaged. By design? The Empire must want it very badly...or else the TIE pilots had terrible aim. "What are they making in there?" she wondered.

"Thought you might knew," Corrin admitted, "this is the first time I´ve entered this city." He had visited a few of the 'civilized' places of their world before but never been to this place. "Would suspect weapons if they are so focused on taking it intact."

"Maybe," said Reva. Surely there were weapons manufactures on more sophisticated planets than theirs? They were close, now. A broad plaza and a metal grid fence were the only things that stood between them.

"Still no signs of the enemy, strange," Corrin mused more to himself. The droids had created a hole in the chain link fence and advanced further. Some destroyed robots littered the ground but it seemed all functioning machines had moved further ahead.

Reva paused to look over one of the downed droids, looking for any sort of identifying markings or logos. There was one, but she didn't recognize it. "Corrin, do you know what this is?" she asked, pointing to it.

"No," Corrin admitted. "Seen this symbol on some of the droid parts my tribe would occasionally find in the wilderness but don´t know what it means." He studied the logo closer for a moment. "It’s quite old I would say, the colour begins to slightly peel of the metal, I suspect it’s been at least a decade, possibly more, since the mark was printed on it."

Reva could only shrug. She knew very little about droids in general, and while her grandmother and dad had talked about the Clone Wars, they hadn't gone into details. She looked at the great factory, hulking behind the fence. The windows were blown out, but the roof seemed intact, no sign of smoke or fire. No sign of anything, actually. There was a broad expanse of pavement between themselves and the factory door, with only the chain mesh fence and a guardhouse between them. They looked at each other in silent agreement, and scurried across the open plaza to the guardhouse. Although Reva half-expected to be fired upon, there was nothing. She didn't see any guards either. Looking at Corrin, she said, "Now what?"

"Careful now," Corrin said, lowering his voice. "Seems no one spotted us so far, but from here on out it´s getting even more risky I feel, suggest we quickly scout ahead, not too far, and then head back." A part of him wanted to turn around already but he just couldn´t without having at least one closer look at the factory. Lurking around the guardhouse and towards the factory Corrin spotted something, two corpses in white armor. "Storm Troopers," he muttered to Reva. So far, they had only seen the bodies of regular soldiers, this wasn´t good.

Reva bit her lip. "Do we want to wait for back up?" she asked. "We've got no way to signal those droids that we're not hostile, and the closer we get to the factory, the more likely they are to start shooting."

"The machine spirits are riled up, yeah, I suspect they will attack anything they come across." His mind darkened as he realized this as the most likely fate of the citizens of this town. "We shouldn't test our luck even more," he agreed with Reva. "Let’s wait for backup and see what the others make of this."

Reva nodded, and they signaled the rest of the group, settling in to cover, waiting for further instructions.

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik, anyone

 

Combo with Addy & Vehn

IC: Thomas Ronaan, Tauriel Windsong, Chrondarr
Blasters vs Bows & Arrows

Thomas winced as another shot rang out and landed with a thud nearby. He looked frantically in the direction of Chrondarr and Windsong. Had they been hit?

It hit hard with a thud, the shooting pain followed quickly behind as Tauriel gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut. Her left upper arm screamed as the warmth of oozing blood could be felt, she opened her eyes as she rolled away from her position, no point in being a sitting duck as it were. Scrambling to a new position with her back to a wall of dirt facing the opposite way, she took a look at her wound. "Kriff it" she growled under her breath, it wasn't as bad as she thought, it just hurt like hell. She looked to her counterpart, he'd taken cover so while she had the moment she dug in her satchel and pulled out a bacta patch before slapping it over the wound. The effects were instant when it came to relief, it was all she needed as she loaded her bow and asked in a lowered tone "Did you see where that came from?"

Chrondarr hadn't seen the shot until an instant before it hit, so he could only estimate the shooter's perch. "From the west, up high. Must be that tall building. Maybe the roof, maybe one of the windows, most of them are broken. I doubt we'll see him unless he shoots again." He glanced at Windsong and saw she had nocked an arrow and looked ready to shoot. "My turn to draw fire. Ready?" With no warning he leaped out of the crater and sprinted directly away from the shooter, then swerved an instant later, narrowly avoiding a blaster bolt. Then he was diving headlong into the next hole, flattening himself against the ground, hoping his profile was low enough to hide him from sight.

Tauriel was more than a little shocked at the speed at which he moved, but reacted instantly by throwing her body to the other side and looking up. A glint from what she could only assume was a blast rifle appeared in the frame of a broken window two floors up. Then it began to fire upon the now fast moving Chrondarr. Lifting her bow swiftly and drawing back to her eyetooth, she found her aim point muttering as she went. "55 metres, clout,..." she lunged backward before smiling briefly. "There." She breathed out slowly as she smoothly released the arrow. Arcing to the air, it looked for all the galaxy to be heading skyward, then as suddenly as it rose, it fell. The hunting point glinted as it fell, and found its target. A grunt was heard followed by shuffling and the clatter of a weapon dropping. Lowering her bow, her heart was suddenly gripped with dread, she'd lied, she'd never killed before. Till now.

Without turning her lip trembled slightly. "Clear." she called out.

Chrondarr heard Windsong's bowstring release. He raised his head just enough to let his eyes follow the arrow's arc, ending neatly through a broken window and causing a pained grunt and clatter. He quickly scanned all around them, crossbow readied to shoot any other enemies who might pop up. Nothing.

He heard her call clear, and her tone caught his attention. Had her voice trembled slightly? Her face was turned away, and it was all but impossible to read her body language at the moment, but he suspected her spirit was uneasy. Whether or not her soul was hurting, this was neither the time nor the place for spiritual healing. That would have to wait for a moment of peace and safety, which would not be had for some time.

Chrondarr had moved last, so if another sniper was watching, he'd be expecting Windsong or Ronaan to move next. With a pained grunt not unlike the one they'd just heard from the window, Chrondarr was back on his feet and sprinting to another crater, advancing step-by-step toward the factory.


TAG: @Adalia-Durron @Vehn

 

GM Update
​

IC: Elim Kain
Factory district, Grad, Skarn

Kain waited, whistling to himself to try to pass the time. He had discovered that this was the worst part of the fighting, the anticipation. When the blaster bolts were flying there was no time to worry or be scared, it was do your job and hope you don't get hit. The time in between battles, that was when the thoughts of death and impending doom crept into one's mind. Now though it was worse than just waiting, now the battle had been joined, the thoughts were at the forefront of everyone's mind, but his group was just sitting, waiting, while the others skulked around the periphery of the battle, scouting and looking for other opportunities. It was an excruciating feeling for the former ranch hand turned resistance leader, the whistling helped, but not much.

He was relieved then when he got word from Skarnsson and Cambrion that the way up the left flank was clear, all the way to the factory itself apparently. "Roger that, stay put," he replied to them over his own short range comm link as he hefted his blaster rifle. "We're coming to you." He motioned his small group of Lian, Pathfinder, Wuu and Ponds. to move out with him, "Lian stick close to me, Pathfinder cover our six, Wuu you're on point." Moments later they were on their way, making their way carefully through ruined city street. The fighting, now off to their right seemed to be die down every so often before erupting again in a cacophony of light and sound. From the sound of things it seemed the droids may have managed to force the first line of Imperial trenches, though the Imperial Army was only grudgingly giving up ground. Kain wondered how many droids the Remnant were willing to sacrifice here, because even a victory for them was looking to be a pyrrhic one.

Continuing to move forward they came upon the remains of the Imperial observation point, the slaughtered Imperial Army troopers bodies lay in stark testament to the droids ruthless efficiency. The remaining parts of the wrecked droid Kain couldn't identify, but he never had been very good with that sort of thing. Shrugging, he moved the group along silently. Maybe one of the others would have some insight as to what it all meant, because he sure as kriff didn't know.

Following the disjointed set of footprints through the muddy terrain Kain's group finally caught sight of the guardhouse that Cambrion and Skarnsson had holed up in. The group became even more cautious now, getting shot at was one thing, it was entirely different if it was your own side shooting at you. So, making sure they were recognized by the pair of Heroes first they made their way to the guard shack, taking note of the dead stormtroopers there. They were the first Kain had ever seen, though he had heard of their ferocity and precision before. Whatever had taken these two out though had done it fast before moving on. Kain's initial thoughts were to the droids that had wiped out the Imperial Army outpost not far behind them, but what kind of droids could have done that, and this? None that Kain had ever seen. He mulled that over for a moment, visibly chewing his lower lip as he gave Lian a signal to comm the others to this new rally point. As the Ardennian went to work Kain turned to the pair of scouts who had called them up here.

"So, what do you think?" He motioned to the dead stromtroopers before looking to the others in the group for any insight as well.

TAG: @The Jedi in the Pumas @Bodhran777 @RIP.CommanderPonds @Mistress_Renata @Anedon

---

The right flank...

IC: Zeit Zev (NPC)
Watching the enemy at the gates...

He had waited patiently, watching the small group of resistance fighters carefully make their way through the rubble and across the tracks towards the factory. He was alone out here this time, the rest of his own partisan band was on the other side of the approaching droid army. He preferred it this way, though being cut off from any support was less than ideal, he was confident enough in his own field craft to bet on his own survival. The Skarnian People's Liberation Front hadn't planned on participating in a battle this day, indeed the appearance of the droid army here in the factory district had come as a surprise to even Zeit Zev, the group's scout and sniper. Now though that battle had been joined Zev, cut off from the rest of his group, was content to watch through the of targeting scope of his meticulously cared for DC-15x sniper rifle.

From his perch in the remains of a tall building across from the factory he had watched through his rifle's scope as the droid army advanced on the Imperial army positions, threatening to drive them from their trenches. On the far side of the battle a smaller group, maybe a half dozen, of quickly moving droids had pushed along the Imperial's flank, seemingly unnoticed by them. Zev was watching to see what they were up to when he noticed the threat closer to hand.

That was the group of resistance fighters, moving slowly up the other flank, where he was positioned. The partisan sniper shifted his attention to them as they picked their way through the rubble. It would be an easy shot from here to take down one or more of them, though it would give away his position, and that was something he was loath to do. There was an Imperial sniper out here too, he had run across the remains of a mostly used up death stick just a half an hour ago. Better to let the Imperial expose himself taking the shot, and then Zev could clean up afterwards.

The Imperial sniper took the bait, but his shots missed. Perhaps he was still under the influence of the hallucinogen, or maybe he wasn't as good as he thought he was. Or perhaps the approaching partisans were just lucky. In any case, Zev again decided to wait, the group was on the prowl now, looking for the sniper, if he attempted his own shot they would quickly target him as well. And so he watched through his sniper scope as they eventually hunted down the poor Imperial and struck him down with am arrow of all things. Barely shaking his head he determined he wouldn't go out the same way as he continued watching them on their slow advance towards the factory, hesitating only as their comm units crackled to life, though he was too far away to hear what was being said...

Far from the prying ears of the lone sniper the words of the rebels communications tech could be heard whispering from the rebel's comm links. "Left side clear, rally point at the guard shack as able. Please acknowledge."

TAG: @Adalia-Durron @Sarge @Vehn

---

IC: Dani Lov (NPC)
Taking what they wan...

"Like hell you will..." The male said as the partisan group's leader, sneered in derision. He didn't expect Connor to draw his blaster, nor fire, so quickly. Several shots rang out and the leader went down, a smoking hole in his forehead the sneer never leaving his face as his lifeless body hit the ground. That left Lov in command, the man who had so heaertily encouraged his leader just moment before. Before he could react though a blaster shot from the woman he had been ogling struck him a glancing blow as their two intended victims ducked to cover behind some debris.

By this time the remaining members of the Skarnian People's Liberation Front had also found cover, and the two groups of partisans exchanged fire from a distance measured in tens of meters. Red blaster bolts ricocheted this way and that as the landscape around them all was peppered in blaster fire. Another of the SPLF partisans was struck as he raised his head for a more precisely aimed shot. He too fell to the ground with a smoking hole in his head. Now the odds had evened somewhat, though at 2-1 they were still clearly in the marauder's favor.

"New plan," the wounded Lov, said through gritted teeth to his remaining comrades. A good chunk was missing from his left forearm, though at least the wound had been cauterized by the bolt that had nearly severed his arm. "Kill the..." His command was never finished as a small, but hard, rock struck him squarely in the back of the head. He cried out in pain, as he instinctively reached for the where he'd been hit. His hand came away covered in blood. Turning to see the source of this new attack he was hit by another rock, this time in the nose. He went down in a heap, his nose shattered. The others began to panic at this, and rose up to flee but were cut down by precise blaster fire from Connor and Jori. The entire encounter had lasted less than a minutes, but now there was one wounded and unconscious partisan along with five of his dead comrades at the feet of the pair of rebels, along with a new face that slowly emerged from her hiding spot in the rubble behind where the SPLF had made their last stand.

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @TheAdmiral @Cowgirl Jedi 1701

OOC: And a hearty welcome to Cowgirl Jedi, figured this was as good a way as any to get your character introduced into the game and joining with the Heroes! Vagabond and Admiral, both Jori and Connor would have gotten the same message as sent out by Lian. Feel free to incorporate into your posts as it fits best for you three as we introduce O'Crainn into the game.

 

IC: Thomas Ronaan
Factory District
Grad

Windsong had struck and with the heart of a warrior. Her arrow found home in the sniper's body. It was an incredible shot. The kind made only in the harrows of war. Highlight reel material. Thomas watched with muted satisfaction as the Imperial sniper's body tumbled away from his perch and lay still. It was a good kill. A clean kill.

He scanned the surrounding area. He was hesitant to leave his position. There were always more snipers. They were like rats. Everywhere and nowhere and always there when you didn't need them. He watched as Windsong and Chrondarr leap frogged over to the factory. They were getting closer to relative safety. He remained behind scanning the distant windows of bombed out buildings, the dark recesses of rubble, the sulking hulks of torn war machines.

He knew where he would hide if he were on the other side of this conflict. The places were many and too numerous to count. Yes, there were more snipers. Undoubtedly. Fortunately they appeared to have other priorities as he looked once more at Windsong and Chrondarr. They were safe and waiting for his arrival. He gave them a nod, hefted his rifle over his shoulder, and began the arduous trek in their direction. Over rubble, craters from bombs, and through the war torn streets of the city he loved.

Thomas halted as he stumbled across the remnants of a body still gripping its weapon. A young woman. Her muddy and dirt stained face fresh with surprise, eyes wide open, as she lay face up in a puddle of muck and mire. The kill had been quick. Terrible. Sudden.There had been little pain. A victim of the sniper who'd just lost his own life. Thomas knelt down, ignored that he was exposed, and placed a trembling hand gently on the young woman's face.

I know this face. I know you. What brought you here to this miserable place? Where is your family? Why aren't you home? Maker above what have we done to the youth of Skarn?

---

Years Earlier
Grad Central High

"Class dismissed," Thomas said as he wrapped up another lecture, "tomorrow we start on the history of the Skarn highlands."

Chairs screeched against the dulling sound of the end of a school day. He fought against the eagerness of the students to leave as he sat behind his desk to stay a few extra hours and grade papers. He sighed and sipped his coffee. It was going to be a long night. Fortunately he was single and didn't have any pressing desire to go home.

"Mr. Ronaan?" A voice asked in a timid manner.

Thomas looked up from his grading and took off his glasses. His eyes were fatigued. When he put them on he saw the bright eyed gaze of a young woman with dark hair who he'd pegged for collegiate success. She was at the top of her class and was destined for a life off world. All she needed was someone to believe in her.

"Ms. Laura Aarden, how may I help you?" Thomas replied.

"That assignment you gave us at the end of class. I won't be able to complete it," Laura replied.

"Why not?"

"My family," Laura replied, "they have this annual trip they take up into the high lakes. I'm expected to go. I won't have time to work on the paper much less get it finished. Look, I wouldn't normally ask for a pass from you but I need this one exception. Just this once. Please."

Thomas sighed and shook his head. "You've known about this trip for how long?"

"A few months," Laura admitted.

"A few months," Thomas repeated, "and this assignment isn't something you can take with you and work on while you're up there?"

Laura shook her head.

"When do you leave?" Thomas questioned.

"Three days from now," Laura replied, "I've only got three days."

"Then I suggest you get busy," Thomas said, "I can't make an exception for you, Laura. It'd show favoritism. Look, I know this is your senior year and all but I can't make any special favors. Not when we're so close to graduation."

"I see," Laura replied as her face fell with disappointment, "thanks anyways, Teach."

Laura turned to leave and Thomas stood as an idea came to him. "Laura, wait. There might be a way around this. Look, I know you applied to BCU on Brentaal. It's a great school if a little rough around the edges. I know how badly you want to get off Skarn. See the galaxy, travel, and live your life. I was very much like you once. I'll write a recommendation for you."

"Really?" Laura asked as her eyes lit up, "You'd do that for me? Write a recommendation?"

"Only if you finish the assignment before you go," Thomas said, "and I'm pushing you hard because I know you can do this. I believe in you. Do we have a deal?"

"Deal," Laura exclaimed as she rushed out of the classroom, "thanks Teach! I won't forget you!"

Thomas returned his attention to the papers before him but it was hard to concentrate. All he could think about were the words that he would say in his recommendation letter for one of the best students in his class. A student who had the entire galaxy before her. A future of unbridled passion and intelligence and dreams fulfilled.

A future for the taking.

---

Present Day
Factory District
Skarn

"Laura," Thomas wept as he gently stroked her face, "Laura. What became of you? How did you find yourself here caught up in all of this? You were supposed to leave. You were supposed to see the stars. To find yourself. To live your life. Why are you here? Why?"

Thomas struggled to wipe away his tears of grief. The war had taken so much from him. So very much. He fought through his pain and wiped his eyes as he saw a wet note sticking out above her camouflauge pocket. He delicately extracted the note and after reading the first sentence knew immediately that it was the kind of thing a person would write when the end was near. A letter to her family. Perhaps a letter explaining everything and nothing all in one.

"I'll make sure this gets delivered to your family. I promise you that much. I'll never forget you, Laura. Never." Thomas choked out as he forced himself to carry on in the direction of the factory.

He heard Laura's voice burning in his ears as he neared Windsong and Chrondarr who were waiting for him. A voice full of promise, full of hope, unafraid, and prepared to tackle the challenges and adventures of tomorrow.

Thank's Teach! I won't forget you!

A voice silenced forever.

Thomas tucked the note inside his fatigues and made a quiet vow that the next kill he'd make would avenge her death. It was the same promise he'd made to all the others who'd been victims of this terrible conflict.

One shot, one kill.

Tag: @Bardan_Jusik; @Adalia-Durron; @Sarge

 

Mairéad O'Crainn
Somewhere in Grad

When Mairéad O'Crainn came to Grad three days ago, she didn't expect to be picking her way through a war zone while the city tumbled down around her ears, but here she was, and why she was riding towards the fighting, she was sure she didn't know. The practical side of her argued that by all rights, she should be going the opposite direction, but no, something compelled her to go this way. Alerted by a prickle at the back of her neck, as well as the very nearby sound of blaster fire, she pulled up and slid out of the saddle. Looping her horse's reins around the saddle horn, she briefly laid her hand atop his nose. "Quiet, Paladin," she whispered, "Stay."

Retrieving a slingshot from her saddlebags, she tiptoed around the corner of a ruined building and saw the cause of the commotion that had disturbed her. Though they were giving a good account of themselves, the man and the girl were outnumbered about three to one. Taking careful aim as she crouched behind some rubble, Mairéad stepped in to give them a hand. When the leader of the other group turned to locate his new assailant, she quickly zinged another pebble at him, hitting him in the face and knocking him out cold on his arse. At this, the remaining opposition decided to call it a day and nope out of there. They didn't get far.

Stepping out from her cover, Mairéad whistled loudly, and Paladin trotted to her side.she pulled a pad of paper and a pencil from her pocket, quickly scribbling a note and tucking it in the unconscious leader's shirt pocket. Beginning to stand up, she paused, and on an impulse, tied his shoelaces together. Then, ever practical, she decided it would be a good idea to scavenger the weapons and equipment from the unconscious man and his dead comrades. But first: "Are you guys okay?"

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @TheAdmiral @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Thomas Ronaan
Factory District
Grad

A voice, soft, caring, snapped him from his internal place of darkness. He leaned against a broken brick wall of the factory and set his rifle down gently across his knees as he crouched to the ground in exhaustion. He breathed for a long while and when ready he opened his eyes hoping to wake up from his horrible nightmare without end. The nightmare lingered. Refusing to go away. Tormenting him.

"No, Tauriel," Thomas finally replied, "I'm not ok. I saw something out there in those muddy, war torn, streets that will stay with me forever. I've seen so much bad in this war I can't remember the last time I had something good. It's been one day of endless survival after the next. Constant. Never ending. You know I can't even remember much of what life was like before the war. What my daily routine was like. What I did. How I even got here.That's how lost I've become."

He had to tell her. He had to tell her why he was the way he was. Someone had to know in case he didn't make it to tomorrow. Chrondarr was near and most certainly listening.

"What happened?" Tauriel asked.

Her voice was inviting, and kind. He fought off the urge to say something rude. To push her away. To tell her to get lost. He barely knew her and yet a bond was forming based on mutual combat and the need to survive. He had to start trusting again. Somehow, in his wrecked soul, he had to learn to trust. How could he explain what he'd seen? Where would he start.

"I'm sure you're wondering what I did before all this shooting mess happened," Thomas said winding himself up, "and sometimes I have to pinch myself, to really work hard, to remember what life was like before the war. I grew up on the outskirts of Grad, decent middle class family, and found my passion in teaching. Yeah, that's right, I was a high school teacher. I taught just a few klicks from here at Grad Central High School. I specialized in history but also taught Basic literature and a few other things. Whatever they had me do really. I was there for nearly a decade. Loved my job. Loved the kids even more. All of them."

Thomas paused as his lip trembled, "Kids. They're so perfectly imperfect in every way. I had some of the brightest students on Skarn. One of them, Laura Aarden, is lying face up out there in the muck. Killed by that sniper, Windsong. Killed for absolutely no good reason. Killed because something brought her back to Skarn when I'd given her every reason to leave. You see I'd written her a recommendation to go off world. Get a real education. Work hard. I never in a million years thought I'd see her again. Never thought I'd see that beautiful face that inspired me to do my very best every single day. Not out here in all this. Not like this."

"I kill because I'm seeking revenge for my students. They're all dead. All of them. Nearly every student I taught has been a victim of this war one way or another. Every life that ever mattered to me, gave me inspiration, gave me hope, has been ripped away. Then there's the eye. You know how I got my eye damaged? A normal day, like any other, and my high school was bombed, obliterated, by some petty faction that no longer exists. Poof, gone. I hunted the perpetrators down one by one and made them pay. I just never stopped hunting. I couldn't stop hunting. Somehow it became all I am."

"Tauriel, I'm all that remains from an era only I can remember and every day those memories are slipping away from me. Every day I get a little bit further from the man I used to be. I look into a muddy puddle now or some fractured shard of glass and don't even recognize the face staring up at me. So if killing the enemy one shot at a time brings redemption for all those kids," Thomas paused, "then maybe there's something worth doing out here. Maybe I'm doing Maker's work. All I know is I have to believe in something because if you believe in nothing you're already dead."

Thomas fell silent as he closed his eyes and tried to push away the image of Laura's lifeless face staring up at him. He breathed deeply for awhile and when he'd centered himself he felt more recharged. The old feelings were still there but now he could at least shove them aside and try again to rebuild that wall around his soul.

Tag: @Adalia-Durron; @Sarge; @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Reva Cambrion
Factory District, Grad.

"So what do you think?"

Reva heard Kain's question and looked around, waiting for someone else to chime in. When no one responded, she took a deep breath. "I don't know much about droids," she said, "but this kind aren't that intelligent, are they? They aren't programmed for independent action. So either they are guards at the factory and see the Imps as threats --in which case they will see us as threats-- OR... they are being controlled by someone who dislikes the Imps as much as we do. If we can find them, we might get a powerful ally. Of course... I can't think of any of the militia groups who had access to battle droids." She thought for a moment, thinking of the people she'd healed without the knowledge of the Empire. "There were one or two groups who had a droid or two working with them, but those were more advanced designs."

She looked around and shrugged. "I don't know what this factory makes, but the Empire must want it pretty badly or it would be rubble like everything else."

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik, @Anedon, @The Jedi in the Pumas, @Bodhran777, @RIP.CommanderPonds

 

IC: Thomas Ronaan
Factory District
Grad
Skarn

Thomas opened his eyes as his thoughts returned. He'd gone to the past. To happier days. Days before the war. Days before he became what he found himself now. A lost and wretched man.

Enough, Thomas thought to himself. Let the past die.

He took a sip of water from his canteen and wiped his lips. He looked over at Tauriel and softly smiled, "That sounds like a plan. Thank you for listening. It's been awhile since I've had to confront my past directly."

Thomas looked to Chrondarr and Tauriel, "We need to keep moving. You heard the instructions. We're rallying at the guard shack."

Thomas kept his rifle lowered as he quietly responded into his comm. unit, "Right side clear. Making our way to the guard shack, over."

"I need your best attention," Thomas said to the other two, "we aren't out of the woods yet."

 

IC: Corrin Skarnsson
Factory District

Corrin had listened silently to Reva´s assesment of the situation before he considered talking about his own toughts. "The Machine Spirits are upset," he said knowing they would roll their eyes at his way of saying it. "To me nothing of this feels like happening for a reason. The machines seemed to have advanced with little concern for themselves or any living being they came across. Would fellow rebels really send them on a complete slaughter? And unless the imperials see a reason to kill their own people as well I doubt they are behind this. My guess its the destruction of the city," he gestured with his spear at the ruined surroundings. "If you set a forrest on fire you will upset the animals. I think the imperial attack woke the machines, and like a animal fleeing a fire they might try to seek shelter in their cave. So I guess this factory is theirs, they where build there and now something draws them back."

Tag: @Bardan_Jusik, @Mistress_Renata, @The Jedi in the Pumas, @Bodhran777, @RIP.CommanderPonds