Star Wars CLOSED Turning Point - The Betrayal of Darth Revan

IC Atin-Kot
Briefing and Greetings

The droid had trundled out, a fairly familiar model. Atin-Kot stayed still as it came to a stop and delivered Bastila’s message. He’d known her, briefly, of old. She was powerful and her battle meditation would be of enormous assistance. He digested all she said and knew this mission was one of importance but also one with a low likelihood of success.

Looking around the bar, he watched the others reactions as the briefing was delivered. Everyone had a different skill set, hopefully ones that would be useful to their objective, and their ages varied, but in this time you were either a veteran or dead. Which meant they’d all faced dangers and enemies, whatever side drove them or paid them, in the case of the Mandalorian.

As the droid finished one of the humans stepped forward and introduced himself and the female human who had come with him, the lovers he’d called them. They were only vaguely familiar, it had been many years since he had been anywhere near the temple, so he did not know much of them.

As the man’s greeting wound down, the silence grew for several moments. Atin-Kot sighed, ‘Might as well get this over with as soon as possible.’ he thought.

Stepping forward into the area of more light, he swept back his cloak, and lowered his hood. Standing before the group now was a tall, whipcord lean being dressed in midnight black armor, similar to the design the human male who had entered first had but of an older design. His helmet hung by his belt so his features were clear. His species was immediately recognizable, the downturned mouth, triangular shape to the face, the blazing yellow eyes.

“Yessss, I am Taung. And yessss, I am a Forccce user. You younger Jedi have probably been taught my name among a number of otherssss, to watch out for. One Taung ever known to ussse the Force and I have not been ssseen in the Temple in yearsss. Ssssso yesss, I am he, Atin-Kot, and I had to leave the fleet we hope to gain admittancccce to join you here.”

His hands stayed low, one by his dual saber and the other near the hidden spot on his belt, where his secure communicator to the Council was situated. “I know of thisssss Commander Sssscherp, a brown nossssing toady. But doesss just enough to remain ussseful to ussss….I mean them. He isss paranoid and isss a deadly shot, but assss Bastila sssaid will flee when outnumbered. He, like the Jedi here, knowsss me, ssso I may need to be more sssupport to this particular part of the objective."

He knew they’d not enjoy having him here, possibly ignore Shan’s words and see him as an immediate threat so he had to address that too. “Ssssso get over any disssslike you have of me now ssssso we can accomplissssh this missssion, The longer I’m gone the more sssusspiciousss the othersss will be.”

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @QueenSabe7, @Mitth_Fisto, @Master Vo'Un'Var, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @TheSilentInfluence

 

IC: Darth Revan
Aboard the Dark Protector, near the Nouane system

The fleet was marshalled for the advance Coreward, to break the deadlock in the Southern Core. The Republic and Jedi had done well to stymie his invasions there, and to prevent a flanking movement on Coruscant. Not impossible.

But Darth Revan was peering down at the ancient world, which he had visited before.

When he had been merely 'Revan'.

As much as he had been changed by Korriban, by Medriaas, by Dromund Kaas, he had also been changed by this little world, which had been attacked by the Mandalorian clans, ending twenty-one thousand years of glorious Nouanese neutrality. The Mandalorians had typically loathed the concept of neutrality, but had also seen the tactical advantage to leaving nonaligned states alone. The Hutts had been target practice, but the Nouanese? The Mandalorian invasion had deviated to take this world, and Revan had, at the time, wanted to know why.

Instead he had been questions; about times thirty-one thousand years gone by.

About the Sages of this world, and what they had intended for the Republic, ten thousand years for their passing.

Now, he intended to demand his answers.

His mind wandered, intending to peer into the future for what the Sith Emperor intended for them, but for a moment, his gaze shifted further, even further than he had expected. The Force was letting him see.

---
Nowhere, no when, no how, in the past, and the future

The True Dark Lord reflected on all that he had achieved and done, on all that he was to triumph over, on all that he was to fail to oppose.

His Last Plan was Enacted.

He reflected on it all, no-where, no-more.

---
During the Battle of Naboo, Episode I: The Phantom Menace, some four thousand years from now

A tremor took hold of the planet.

Sprung from death, it unleashed a powerful wave, at once burrowing deep into the world's core and radiating through its sacharine atmosphere to shake the stars themselves. At the quake's epicenter too Sidious, one elegant hand vised on the burnished sill of the expansive translucency, a vessel filled suddenly to bursting, the Force so strong within him that he feared he might disappear into it, never to return. But the moment didn't constitute an ending so much as a true beginning, long overdue; it was less a transformation than an intensification - a gravity shift.

A welter of voices, near and far, present and from eons past, drowned his thoughts. Raised in praise, the voices proclaimed his reign and cheered the inauguration of a new order. Yellow eyes lifted to the night sky, he saw trembling stars flare, and in the depth of his being he felt the power of the dark side anoint him.

Slowly, almost reluctantly, he came to himself, his gaze settling on his manicured hands. Returned to the present, he took note of his rapid breathing, while behind him the room labored to restore order. Air scrubbers hummed - costly wall tapestries undulating in the summoned breeze. Prized carpets sealed their fibers against the spread of spilled fluids. The droids shuffled in obvious confliction. Sidious pivoted to take in the disarray; antique furniture overturned; framed artwork askew. As if a whirlwind has swept through. And facedown on the floor lay a statue of Yanjon, one of four law-giving sages of Dwartii.

A piece Sidious had secretly coveted.

Also sprawled there, Plagueis: his slender limbs splayed and elongated head turned to one side. Dressed in finery, as for a night on the town.

And now dead.

[INDENT]The [I][I]Darth Plagueis[/I][/I] novel, pages 3-4, by James Luceno[/INDENT]​

TAG: No-one, and yet

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @darthbernael, @QueenSabe7, @TheSilentInfluence, @Mitth_Fisto, @Master Vo'Un'Var

 

IC: Darth Malak
Elsewhere, aboard his flagship

"This is moving too slowly," his voice rumbled, metallic as ever.

The cloaked man shrugged, raising gloved hands. "Alright, alright. I'll nudge things along."

Malak simply glared at the man, as if to say. This was your plan. He didn't need to speak the threat.

"I know, I know."

---
IC: Darth Revan
Nouane, orbit

Turning to regard the red pyramid again, Revan had been correct.

Beneath the recordings made by the present Gatekeeper there had been whole entries. The Holocron was resisting him, and Revan could not so easily risk diving into the Holocron; he might become lost, as if he had thrown his spirit into a mind trap. Then, the Gatekeeper would simply fillet out his body and take it.

That was the dangers of consulting with a Holocron and diving too deep.

But why risk his mind?

He may as well go to Nouane himself.

Turning to Darth Voren, the sole other member of his Sith Council present, he nodded.

Voren bowed, and followed him to the shuttle.

---
IC: Greer Gali
Sernpidal, The Ugly Duckling

"I am Knight Yula Loranth. I hope to be of greatest assistance in the aspects of a stealthy resourceful strategy."

"I'm Shysa Cadera."

"I am Zeseem Dunkel. Biology Specialist from the Temple."

"Adenn Aka."

The introductions were what they were. Though they were both curious about the Taung, Atin-Kot, because he seemed to be entwined in the Jedi Shadows, if her guess was right. More like the Jedi spy secret service, and a Taung to boot? There weren't many left since many of them died in the Mandalorian Wars at Malachor V...

T3 uploaded the specifications for the estate of Scherp to their datapads, so they all had the data and the location from here to there.

All of a sudden, the door clanged open, the Force having not warned the Force sensitives to the arrival whatsoever. An old woman fell in, scrabbling around on the floor to try and stand as she slammed the door shut behind her. "You need to run; Sith Troopers are on their way!"

The droid squealed, repeating that they need to remain hidden from the Sith for as long as possible.

Greer swore. "We need to split up, re-group at the mansion."

Then the Force did warn them of the danger, and most of the wall blew inwards, the woman vanishing in a hail of brick and smoke.

A mere sensor scan would reveal a squad of four Sith Troopers, but that wasn't the point.

"An illegal gathering has been reported," a speaker shouted into the fray. "Surrender, or we will open fire."

TAG: @darthbernael, @QueenSabe7, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @Mitth_Fisto, @Master Vo'Un'Var, @TheSilentInfluence

@BookExogorth (as you are reading along)

 

OOC: GM approved addition of the secondary and tertiary exits to the bar.

IC: Atin-Kot
Gathering Disrupted

At the door bursting open, Atin-Kot brought his cloak back around him. He was supposed to be on a world far from here and any disrupting that could bring his presence into notice of the other Sith could raise more questions than he needed to attempt to answer right now. The old woman’s warning was hardly necessary as moments later the wall blew inward. As the dust and smoke swirled he took the opportunity to vanish back into the shadows. Reducing his presence in the Force as low as possible, he all but vanished completely.

By the time the voice from outside shouted its command, he was already halfway up the ladder to the roof access. The back door, he was sure, would be guarded by a second squad of Sith Troopers, and the roof would have the same but it offered more opportunities to escape. Atin-Kot reached the hatch to the roof, stopping there. Placing his hand on the hatch, he reached out his senses, feeling for the squad he knew had to be there. A thin lipped smile, a grimace to be honest, crossed his face when he felt them there. Building up energy in his hand, he let it build until his hand ached, then released it against the hatch and the frame. They blew out spectacularly, raising dust, smoke, and debris from all around the hatch.

A second later he used the Force again, boosting his jump, flashing through the cloud, knowing the sensors of the troops would rapidly adjust. His hand dropped to his belt as he flew and he pulled a flashbang from it, priming and dropping it into the smoke. It’s shockwave assisted his leap and he could see the troopers, still disoriented, slowly recovering on that roof, until he landed behind equipment on the roof of the business adjoining the bar.

Crouching behind the equipment for a few moments he listened as the sounds from the bar and just outside grew. However, there was little aid he could give them for the moment, without revealing too much of himself. Glad that night had fallen he turned and began a careful exfiltration from the area.

Staying low, he flitted from one shadow to the next, moving as rapidly as possible away from the ruckus that was occurring where he had just been. A twinge of concern for the others crossed his mind but then he thought more, that if they weren’t up to escaping something like this they shouldn’t have gotten involved or have been recruited. He could sense and hear speeders crisscrossing the skies, some had to be other Troopers keeping an eye out for any that attempted to escape so he had to stay out of sight.

As soon as he was sure he’d gotten a decent distance away he found an alley and dropped into it. Glad that he had secured a typical robe for this culture he ensured it was wrapped around himself, hood up, and he emerged from the alley, joining the pedestrians that still moved about their evening’s business. Checking his pad on occasion, as though he were looking for directions to a friend’s home, he walked in a roundabout route that moved him toward the North-East. He backtracked and turned in different directions to attempt to throw off anyone that could possibly be following.

He knew the others, should they have escaped, would likewise be working their way to the mansion. For now all he could do was head that direction, keeping a lookout for the others along the way.

TAG: @Sinrebirth, @QueenSabe7, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @Mitth_Fisto, @Master Vo'Un'Var, @TheSilentInfluence

@BookExogorth (as you are reading along)

 

IC: Colonel Scherp
His Mansion, Sernpidal

There wasn't much to the late-mayor's personal home, but it was well done for the world they were on, deep in the Outer Rim, arguably, in this era, the Unknown Regions.

While Atin-Kot, Zeseem Dunkel and Yula escaped the Ugly Duckling first, they would find a City that was on alert, T3-3TH would zoom out of the pub, blowing smoke into the area with its custom-fitted mini-fire extinguisher.

The city Sith Troopers patrolled, and a transport headed towards the mansion as if to reinforce the position, which was the kind of sound tactical move that a man in a bunker would think of; to pull everyone back to him that was spare and make him as safe as possible. Such a mentality applied to Scherp.

About the time they would arrive, so too would the transport, waved through without issue.

But that would merely give them a moment to assess what they faced.

A four-meter tall, one-meter thick permacrete wall surrounds the property and has two entrances: the main gate and the delivery gate.

The main gate is guarded by two Sith troopers and a surveillance camera that will allow security to raise an alarm and summon reinforcements in the form of twelve more Sith troopers if the heroes create a scene here. The delivery gate, on the other hand, has no guard post but has a camera in place that is typically used to allow the gate to be unlocked when a truck arrives. There is a dataport located under the camera with access to the system, though using this will alert the guards.

Of course, they can try to scale the wall, but they will have to contend with what is on the other side.

Once the heroes get past the wall, they need to get to the house as quickly as possible - or deal with a group of Sentinel droids.

Two units of four droids each patrol the grounds and may spot the heroes trying to break in if one of them succeeds in jumping that wall... even then, the droids must be incapacitated almost immediately, or they will radio for reinforcements which will arrive in moments.

The only saving grace in all of these defenses?

The doors - both of them, are actually unlocked.

But, with all that smoke eclipsing the Ugly Duckling, the Sith Troopers opened fire, weapons to kill.

In all of that, who could say what happened to the others? Did they react as swiftly, and escape as cleanly? Adenn? Greer? Roan?

And what of the old, blind woman?

TAG: @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @darthbernael, @Mitth_Fisto, @QueenSabe7, @Master Vo'Un'Var, @TheSilentInfluence

 

IC Atin-Kot
The Colonel’s Mansion

Atin-Kot had arrived at the rendezvous, the swiftness with which he'd moved allowing a minute or so to observe the location, received the data dump that included all the files about the Colonel’s mansion, but the others had not arrived yet. Placing the native robe on the rooftop he’d been occupying, just beyond the cleared zone around the mansion, he pulled on his usual robe, one he’d worn for many years, one that tended to blend in to the surroundings, especially at times such as now, during the dark hours of the night.

He had the data but preferred his own reckoning of the defenses. Taking a small, masked, hover droid, he sent it back, away from the mansion, but high in the air. From there it was able to survey the grounds and the patrols, verify that the droid patrols did roam the grounds, on seemingly random routes, but ones that covered all the open spaces and left them where one patrol could assist the other in case of an assault.

Likewise it reported on the gates and their security or lack thereof. He saw the cameras, the troopers, and the reinforcements arriving. He knew that the man inside was paranoid and knew there was a threat to him but as Atin-Kot considered her began to sense more and more that this was a setup. First being called away when if they needed codes, and while it could blow his cover, he would be able to provide a set. Second, bringing such a disparate group together, one that had never worked together before, even if Shan was the leader.

Third, no real plan so far, except find the Colonel and steal his codes. Which, to be honest, would be deactivated as soon as it was known the Colonel was dead, so if the team did not include a shapeshifter the codes would be useless by tomorrow morning. Fourth, ‘Who the frack was that old woman and how did she know who we were, why we needed to be warned, and that the patrol was there for us?' That alone raised his hackles.

Finally, the ‘setup’ had surely roused the entire garrison of the planet which had to be combing both the cities and the countryside looking for anyone who didn’t belong. Many innocents would be caught up in those raids. Some not so innocent as well, and they would face the firing squads on the off chance they were part of whatever had caused the alert in the first place. If the team survived the gauntlet of the troops and arrived here they still had to coordinate and assault the place, retrieve the codes, find a ship or ships offplanet, and get to the Fleet before the Colonel’s codes were rendered invalid.

All in all, the odds of them succeeding in any part of that venture were extremely slim. For now, having both the data and his own observations, he waited to see if the remainder of the team made it to the rendezvous, and hopefully did not decide to start the assault individually. It had been chaos enough and they truly needed a solid plan to get through, and deal with whatever chaos was here, not to mention as they progressed.

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @Mitth_Fisto, @QueenSabe7, @Master Vo'Un'Var, @TheSilentInfluence

 

IC: Colonel Scherp
Sernpidal, Scherp Estate, Mansion

The Sith officer folded his hands and wondered about what was afoot in his city.

An establishment, the Ugly Duckling, had been raided by Sith Troopers, and two individuals picked up. An old woman and a Mandalorian, of all things. But others, including an astromech droid, had managed to escape into the city at large.

He tapped his chin, wondering. He checked the availability of the Sith Council, as a Republic raid this deep into the Empire was unheard of, but only Darth Malak was available for feedback. Scherpa shut down the comm unit; he had no desire to speak to the man, who was more likely to snap his throat. Revan would have been more palatable, but for now Scherpa would deal with it himself.

The Force would tell most of them that Greer and Roan had been noticed, and a squad of Sith Troopers promptly marched out of the mansion to arrest them, a swift response which saw the vehicle heading into the mansion pause - with the gates open.

The remaining members of the team, Atin-Kot, Yula Loranth, Zeseem Dunkel, Shysa Cadera, even T3-3TH, they had to get on.

TAG: @TheSilentInfluence @darthbernael @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha @Mitth_Fisto

Instructed to remove certain characters from the cast due to DRL(!)

 

OOC: If anyone is willing to do a combo for the actual taking of the transport and assault into the Estate, let me know, as it would be simper that way.

IC: Atin-Kot
Convenient Transport into the Estate

Atin-Kot was beginning to have thoughts as to who the ‘old woman’ was and if he was right then things were getting more interesting. But now the game had changed. He could sense she and the Mando had been captured and were en route to the Estate. He glanced at the others, to try to feel what they were wanting to do to access the Estate. He could feel the intensity of them knowing they needed to get inside the Colonel’s estate.

And then an opportunity arrived. A transport approached the estate and the gate was open but the guards seemed distracted. He rose off his haunches slightly, turning toward the others. “Quick, let ussss take the transssport and get the driver to get usss through the groundsss and into the garage there ssso that we can sssearch and find the Colonel, and the othersss that have been taken. I believe the ‘old woman’ isss much more important than her initial appearanccce sssuggessstsss.”

“Little Jedi apprenticcce, I suggest you approach the driver, acting asss though you are a frightened child, to distract him. Nautolan, you’re sssuggesstion hasss merit, You ssshadow the little one, then ssstun the guardsss and the driver to a lesssser degree. Twi’lek, if you can, if you have the ssskill, ssslip up to the oppossssite sssside of the transssport and pick the door lock sssso we can ssslip inside. I will ssshadow the Twi’lek and reinforcccce whoever needsss it. Move out and when you’re in posssition, a bird cry of Ssssernpidal to tell usss all ssso. ”

He slipped from his hiding place, gliding through shadows as he approached the transport, finding a deep one, out of sight of the cameras and guards, and then waited for the others to get into position. He let out a low, but carrying night bird cry so they knew he was ready.

Something needed to unite the team and he hoped that carrying off this tiny piece of this mission would begin doing so. Which may have also been part of why the ‘old woman’ had brought the Sith Troopers to the door of the pub, causing them to stop planning and actually begin the assault. More and more he was certain of who that being was but for now he had to focus, and assist the team as and where necessary.

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @TheSilentInfluence, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @Mitth_Fisto

 

OOC; Double Post but posting a mini combo per GM Instruction, hopefully a full team one soon.

IC: Yula Loranth, Atin-Kot
Sernpidal

The suggestion from Atin-Kot and the timely arrival of the transport gave Yula a sense of relief. Maybe they could pull this off after all.

She worked her way stealthily to the side of the transport indicated, keeping one eye out for any guard droids that might arrive unexpectedly, making sure to move swiftly.

Atin-Kot caught a glimpse of the Twi'lek as she moved closer to the transport. He slide through the shadows, extending enough of his presence so that she knew he was close as they moved in on it.

He pondered what was better to use if he had to fight, his sabers, the Light or Dark side, or his daggers. He kept an eye out for droids and wandering guards as he shadowed her, while he decided. In the end he knew that using the force would only draw unwanted attention so his hands slipped inside his robes and drew a pair of daggers, ready to strike at the opportunity, if he were attacked.

TAG: @Sinrebirth, @TheSilentInfluence, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @Mitth_Fisto

 

TAG: @TheSilentInfluence, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @Mitth_Fisto

If you need a hand with your TAG, please let me know. I was going to update today but was unable to. PM me if you need more.

 

OOC: Per the GM the Combo is being posted as is.

IC: Dunkel, Atin-Kot
Taking the Transport

Master Zezeem Dunkel nodded at the plan. He followed her out, making sure that her head tails were staying just enough in view. When he heard her crying out he realized his bent over sneaking needed to become bent over shambling. He did his best to try to fall into character, gripping his side as he purposefully shambled forward. Just had to wait for enough to become visible. Just needed to know where they were, come into view and into range so he could trigger stasis as simultaneously as possible.

The trooper who noticed the shambling... Twi'lek, was it? He frowned beneath his helmet and strode forward, waving the prisoner transport in. Another anomaly, fresh on the backs of the illegal gathering that was reported. He already had his blaster out, and pointed at the nonhuman.

"Hold it."

Atin-Kot held still, in the shadows, deep enough that the guard should not see him. A pair of daggers were held, blades up his sleeves, hilts to hand. He could hear the exchange begin with the gate guard. The next few moments would be a flurry of activity, hopefully away from the reach of sensors, that would end with them in the transport and on their way across the grounds of the estate.

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @TheSilentInfluence, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @Mitth_Fisto

 

IC: Commander Scherp
Through the entrance and the doors

In short order, the bait is taken, the troops are dead, and they are in.

The structure of the Estate bottlenecks them in and through, and before they know it - to avoid the cameras and wandering troops, they are at his office.Looking through the doorway, the group will spot a middle-aged man wearing a standard blue Sith uniform with graying hair seated behind a desk and reading something on a datapad screen that seems to mildly amuse him.

Glancing around the room, the extent of his wealth is evident, with the multiple shelves stocked with datacards, expensive-looking artwork hanging on the walls between them, the four metal statues of droids standing in each corner of the room, and the intricate rug meticulously placed in the precise middle of the floor.

The man, who is undoubtedly Commander Scherp from what the group can tell, glances toward the doorway where you stand and, catching sight of you, double takes and locks his gaze on you. After a brief second of initial shock, a smug smile forms on his face. Seemingly he had been so engrossed in his datapad that he had all but gone away in the Force, thus why they didn't sense him.

"Well," he begins with a deep baritone voice, his confidence apparent when he speaks. “Obviously, you are not members of my staff. I should commend you for getting through my defences. Since you are here, would you care to tell me why?”

TAG: @darthbernael, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @Mitth_Fisto, @TheSilentInfluence

OOC: This is a 'post as much as you want' round. I will respond as Scherp multiple times during this round, conversationally. This is not a combo, however.

 

OOC: The destruction of the electronics approved by our fun-loving GM

IC Atin-Kot
Confronting the Commander

The taking of the transport had gone well enough and everyone had been silent through the drive to the house. Atin-Kot had kept quiet mostly because he was focusing on the mission, and the concern that he’d soon be missed from the mission he was supposed to be on. He stayed mostly to the shadows, even as the others did the same, while they moved through the estate. Finally they had come upon what had to be the Commander’s office. The door opened and Scherp did not seem overly surprised that they had gotten there.

In his deep baritone, Scherp spoke, "Well, obviously, you are not members of my staff. I should commend you for getting through my defenses. Since you are here, would you care to tell me why?”

As he’d been more in the background, Atin-Kot had not responded to the Commander at first. He knew that the Commander would recognize him easily but it seemed that he needed to ensure that the man didn’t give away that they had reached the inner sanctum.

He slipped between the others, almost gliding between them. Stepping out of the shadows he let the Commander get a look at the Taung standing before him. And, as that moment drew out he lifted a hand and lightning shot forth, lancing into the various bits of electronics, including the droids that may or may not have been statues, around the room, including the pad in the Commander’s hands. “Apologiessss Commander, but I would prefer you not get overly excccited and call in sssome of thossse troopsss or droidsss that you’ve ssssurrounded yoursssself with.”

He thought for a moment, “Lord Revan has recccceived reportssss about your actionssss and issss dissssappointed. Henccce my presssenccce where the deployment orderssss sssay I sssshould not be, and thisss diversssse team with me.”

He took another step forward, closing the distance toward Scherp a bit more, “You’ve already interfered with my resourcccesss here, the old woman and the other you took among them, and it wassss time to rectify the ssssituation.”

Looking directly in the man’s eyes, “You have a choiccce, do exactly asss you’re told and report nothing of thisss encounter or I allow my team to, hmmm, encourage you to asssssist me.” he said with a wave of his arm behind him at the others.

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @Mitth_Fisto, @TheSilentInfluence