Star Wars Thriller The Coming Darkness - A Clone Wars RPG

IG-912 analyzed both Jedi, his positronic brain told it that they were younger, so more likely less experienced, but with a greater stamina. It shifted its stance accordingly. It buzzed the electrostaff by rotating it in a dazzling display before it lunged with its attack.

The MagnaGuard decided to attack the younger one as the girl was most likely to be the least experienced and given the Jedi’s weakness - trying to protect everyone will most likely tie the older one in combat, though it will have to shift focus and alternate it between the two Jedi while looking for an opening to kill them one by one.

TAG: @Kurisan @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

Cera frowned at what Kya was telling her. That did not last long as she had to block some blasts that were flying their way. This was not good. “I heard that Krennic is on the planet.” she continued, ignoring his wound as it seemed not too serious. As a Jedi she was ashamed being so callous, but there was no time to worry about that too. “Do you think that he is behind that attack?” she asked as she kept deflecting crimson bolts.

“INCOMING!” a Clone screamed and the soldiers scrambled for cover as projectiles started to land. The artillery had homed in on their position again, so they were raining death on their heads.

“Come on, there is a cover nearby.” she said to Kya and to the Clones following him.

Cera led the group trying to avoid the explosions. Dust, pieces of permacrete and masonry were raining on them. Glass and molten pieces of plastic flew around adding to the deadly cocktail. There was a staircase leading down towards an underpass where they could hide for the time being.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

Lynnori was ready for each volley of the droid's attack. She deflected and kept out of the critical zone with quick, agile moves. She sighted on a vulnerable spot at the join of neck and shoulders where circuitry was housed and made a arcing swipe with her amethyst blade.

The periphery of her awareness was focused on Maya; she had no doubt she would present a very tempting target. But it would be a mistake to underestimate the young girl's speed and resourcefulness, as Lynnori had learned on this mission.

@Kurisan

 

IC Maya Qwan
Confederate AA gun battery

Maya somersaulted sideways as her leap touched ground in front of the MagnaGuard. She had attracted its attention alright. The buzzing electrostaff whirled in lethal arcs and she turned her hips to avoid one swipe, then backflipped to retreat from another. The killer robot was fast and relentless, its moves programmed from a variety of martial techniques. Maya brought up her own sabre to try and deflect swipes as it was on her again, the impacts juddering up her slender arms.

It was targeting her. Maybe it knew she was only a Padawan. Her brow furrowed in concentration. Yeah? Well we'll see who's the easy target.

She knew Lynnori was awake and in proximity; her reassuring touch had come through the Force. No communication, no time for messages or plans of attack. Just instincts joined. Lynnori was going for the head of the droid with her own attack. Maya remained defensive as it rained down blows on her, hoping her senior would succeed...

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha @TheAdmiral

 

The MagnaGuard gave a burst of droidspeak in frustration. The little meatbag was hard to hit. Its brain was analyzing her moves but still what the organics called the Force made it very hard to follow and match her movements.

The droid was convinced that in the end it would be the victor. It was simple maths. Given her build and the obvious signs of tiredness it would be able to further deplete her energy then with a swift blow smash her head or another lethal injury.

It was focused on Maya almost monomaniacally so the MagnaGuard forgot about the other organic. It had deemed her too injured, but it was wrong. That oversight was going to cost its head… quite literally.

Lynnori’s blow beheaded the thing sending the head tumbling on the tile floor and sparks erupted from its torso as it crumbled on the floor.

The Super Battle Droid upstairs registered what had happened and approached the hole extending its hands and opened fire on the two Jedi.

TAG: @Kurisan @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

Cera wiped her forehead. Her palm came out wet from the sweat and some blood from the scrapes, mixed with soot and dirt. They were safe for now, until the droids decided to stop their bombardment.

The ground shook and pieces of masonry and dust trickled from the ceiling. The lights flickered. One even exploded from the overload. “This does not fit his MO though.” she said thoughtfully “Unless it is some big secret and so on, but he should know that it would leak...” she sighed. Her head pounded so she closed her eyes for a second “Are you sure they were not Separatists?” she raised an eyebrow.

“They were diverted.” Cera sighed “They should have taken out the AA guns by now so that we can press on. I am beginning to worry that something might have happened to them.”

She frowned at the mention of Nouane “I haven’t heard of that planet before...”

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

Lynnori had barely caught her breath when another SBD hove into firing /targeting range.

"Maya," she said, "Are you up to another skirmish? Can we make it to the control center without having to worry about being droid fodder?"


Lynnori also hoped that with the lull, contact could be reestablished with Knights Kya and Tan.

@Kurisan \ @TheAdmiral
\ @Sinrebirth

 

Maya Qwan
Confederate AA Gun Battery, Obroa City



Maya twirled and leapt and ducked, her lightsaber flashing as she parried the tempest of blows from the MagnaGuard. The automaton was relentless and powerful, and she would have to tire – and slow – eventually, despite her enhancements through her concentration in the Force.

But Knight Fardreamer entered the melee decisively, separating the monstrous robot’s head from its neck in clinical fashion. Maya heaved a sigh of relief as the metallic beast crumpled to the ground.

With one threat extinguished, another almost immediately appeared. From the blast hole in the control center’s floor above her head created by the MagnaGuard’s explosive entrance, Maya spied a B2 super battle droid. Its inbuilt blaster-arms extended ready to fire.

Lynnori called to Maya, “Maya! Are you up to another skirmish? Can we make it to the control center without having to worry about being droid fodder?”

Maya batted away a blaster bolt and considered this. The B2 had a solid defensive position using the edges of the hole above. She could try and deflect blasts back at it all day and possibly not succeed. Retreating in order to find another route of attack would cost time and just allow them to realign their defences.

The hole was right there above her head.

“Master,” she said. “If you could position before me and defend the blasts, I might have an idea…”

If Lynnori could place herself between the B2 and attract its attention, deflecting away its barrages, Maya would use the opening to call upon the Force, then leap up right into the hole inside the control center. If she could get through without being hit, she would then be able to attack the B2 in melee range with her lightsaber.

And there would only be one winner in that fight.

TAG: @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha @TheAdmiral

 

Maya said, “Master, if you could position before me and defend the blasts, I might have an idea…”

Lynnori's eyes widened, and she moved to where Maya indicated and her blade became a whirl of deflecting motion, sending the bolts harmlessly up and to the sides. Maya would have to move quickly!

@Kurisan \ @TheAdmiral

 

Maya Qwan
Confederate AA Gun Battery, Obroa City

Lynnori understood immediately and took up position. Maya stole a moment to admire the knight's saber technique - her blade whirled like one of the spinning fireworks on Republic Foundation Day, so fast it appeared as a continuous circle of light.

Maya took a step back, assessed the angle and height to the jagged opening above, then made her leap...



TAG: @TheAdmiral & thanks to @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha !

 

The droid was pouring blaster fire at the Jedi who was deflecting the bolts. Pieces of masonry, cracked tiles, molten plastic and burning paper flew around. The place was turning into a bigger mess than it was before.

The younger Jedi did something unexpected. Its programming was trying to compensate for the sudden incursion, but it was too late. Maya sliced it diagonally and the two halves crashed on the floor in a shower of sparks and molten metal.

The only thing remained was the Tactical Droid, still hooked to the turret controls, directing emerald fire towards the Republic’s crafts.

TAG: @Kurisan

“There was a Clone traitor at Cristophsis...” Cera mused and ducked slightly as their cover shook from a nearby explosion. A loose tile fell on the floor and broke.

“Either way, this new group will make things harder for us.” she sighed “There is a lot that we don’t know and the more we try to learn, the more muddled it becomes.”

Cera pursed her lips “We should check it then, after we are done here.” she suggested “Depending on what we discover here.”

“That is the idea, but these artillery emplacements are preventing us from making progress. The two girls are supposed to take out the AA cover so that we can blast those things and move forward.”

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

Maya Qwan
Confederate AA Gun Battery, Obroa City

Maya glanced across the gloomy interior of the AA turret control room. The edges of the two halves of the former B2 super battle droid glowed where the saber had sliced through, adding a little illumination to the light thrown from tactical displays and computer controls.

The T-series droid directed the Confederate strategies, hooked up to the AA-gun control computers. This was an important piece of hardware, sophisticated and expensive.

To Maya's lightsaber it represented little more than a fancy B2 right now.

The teenager skipped across the control room, pirouetting in the same motion, her lightsaber twirling above her head.

Then she beheaded the fiend that had cost so many clone lives and held up the Republic forces for so long...

TAG: @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha @TheAdmiral @Sinrebirth

 

Lynnori watched as Maya leapt upwrd and heard the hum of the latter's saber and the ripple of Maya's satisfaction through the Force as she made slag of the tactical droid.

Lynnori sent a sincere /Well done!/ Now to see if they could regroup with the rest of their landing team ...

 

Lynnori felt the call from Knight Kya and glanced over at Maya Qwan, sure she had caught it too.

Lynnori sent a burst of confirmation back as if to say: We hear you ...

 

Maya Qwan
Confederate AA Gun Battery, Obroa City

Maya felt the psychic nudge of approval from Lynnori through the Force, until another voice shouted across the city to them. It was Master Kya. Their actions at the AA battery were having an immediate effect.

Master Fardreamer answered in kind.

"Wait a minute," said Maya, fumbling for her comlink.

"This is Maya Qwan to Master Cera Tan, do you read me?"

If the static interference had cleared enough, Maya would send this message, "We're a bit beaten up but OK. The AA battery is down for now. Do we hold position? Should we put this place permanently out of action?"

TAG: @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha @TheAdmiral @Sinrebirth

 

Lynnori noticed what Maya was doing and turned on her own commlink to receive whatever answer was sent in reply.

 

When the AA fire stopped there was a cheer coming from the Republic’s pilots. It was their time, a flight of Y-wings and a couple of ARC-170s were given the location of the artillery emplacement. The V-wings held any remaining enemy fighters at bay.

As soon as they could see the guns the targeting computers started chirping. The bombers sent out a volley sending plumes of soil and twisted metal in the air. The explosions detonated some of the munition dumps adding to the destruction. Then the Y-wings carpet bombed the square making sure that every emplacement was taken out.

“Command, be advised, there is a Hardcell approaching the Library area, they will land soon. We are out of ammo.”

Cera got that message and suddenly had an idea “Lynnori, Maya! Take control of the AA guns and shoot down the enemy transport. It must not be allowed to land, it carries hundreds of droids!” she commanded. “A gunship is on its way to reinforce you.”

She wiped the soot from her face and turned to Kya who was watching her. “You ready to push the clankers back?” she smirked.

TAG: @Kurisan @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha @Sinrebirth

 

Lynnori clicked her commlink in acknowledgement, knowing that Maya had heard the same command. She smiled confidently. "I know you're up for this," Lynnori said with warm approval for the other's quick thinking and reflexes. "Let's get to it."
@TheAdmiral \ @Kurisan

 

Maya Qwan
Confederate Republic AA Gun Battery, Obroa City

Maya glanced around the unfamiliar computers of the AA gun-battery control centre and gulped. It was a bit late to re-programme the tactical droid, which lay on the ground in two smoking pieces. She looked back out of the hole blasted by the MagnaGuard to Lynnori below.

"Okay, let's do this!" she grinned back. "You want to leap up here, or take the stairs like a dignified Master?"

TAG: @TheAdmiral @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

Lynnori laughed softly and calculated the arc of a leap. She gathered the Force around her like a soft cloak and sprang up to land lightly beside Maya. She surveyed the control room in a quick glance.

@Kurisan

 

Maya Qwan
Confederate Republic AA Gun Battery, Obroa City

Maya stepped back, impressed once again with Lynnori's grace. They looked about the control room through a haze of smoke from the recently chopped droids.

Maya said, "Well, I think those are just monitors for the heating and power levels, and these are the firing controls." She gestured to some likely-looking levers next to consoles.

"But I have never done this before. I guess the tracking sensors will look similar to inside a starfighter. I hope they have a nice easy crosshairs for us to follow...?"

She stopped to listen, and peer out of the room's viewport for any sign of the incoming transport...

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

Lynnori looked at the levers. There should be some sort of color or other easy to comprehend pattern for those who have varying degrees of technical knowledge or understanding of Basic. "If the lever is up now,' Lynnori said, "That means it's fully engaged. So I'd just move them to the opposite position."

@Kurisan