Empire Divided: Assault on the Citadel

[Deviant]

Years ago, Saleucami was ravaged and razed by the feared Warlord Zanhra, who called for the end to a corrupt Republic and a faithless Jedi Order. Cities burned, civilians slaughtered, and villages were wiped away clean off the map. Today, Grand Admiral Alexei Petrov, now the Emperor of his personal Imperial Empire, now seeks to make a similar claim— to end a corrupt empire and its own faithless Emperor. Forwarding a full-fledged assault, his ground forces now rage against the bastion of Emperor Malon— the Citadel. Infiltrating the facility with his Sith counterpart, Alexei looks to fulfill his destiny.

uck, fate, destiny— the will of the force. None it mattered, because in the end, Alexei was on the verge of attaining his dream: to become ruler of the galaxy. Many Sith and Jedi alike would have laughed at the thought of a mere Imperial Commander, devoid of the force, climbing the ranks to emerge as Emperor of the galaxy. But nobody was laughing now, nobody but Alexei himself.

With his personal Legion assaulting loyalist forces in both air and ground, Malon was divided. Stretched thin over the defense of the planet, his vital base, the Citadel, was left wide open to third and final assault. Led forward by Alexei, alongside his faithful right hand, Blythe Guillaume, breaking into the walled fortress took little effort. Purging the stronghold of remaining loyalists, however? That would take time. Time Alexei did not have.

Through the winding halls and the raging battle between Malon’s forces and his own, the Grand Admiral found himself deep in the heart of the citadel. A massive throne room emblazoned with massive chandeliers and priceless decorations, the room was fit for a king. Perfect for Alexei to start building his new, united Imperial Empire.

Adorned in armor garnished with elaborate embroidery and armed with his classic blastsword, Alexei approached the throne with his head held high. Through his armored visor, his voice echoes “Emperor Malon. It’s so good to see you again.”

Spoiler: OoC

@Dread @Malon @Sreeya
Surprisingly Alexei has gear, i.e. KPWD (default heavy), Blastsword (x2 clips), TS-15 (x2 clips), Thermals (x2), Poison (x1), SCKO (x1) EMP (x1)

 

[Dread]

Whether Alexei liked it or not, Blythe firmly believed he was just another catalyst for the Sith Orders destruction. Even if he died here and now, she did not think the Order would survive much longer. There was still the Jedi's continued advance despite their recent setback.

And if she died... it would do nothing. She was simply a weapon. And death freedom. Freedom from this wretched skin she felt her soul claw at everyday; desperately trying to escape. With every step, she could feel herself caving to it now that she was sure of the Orders destruction.

In the end, she'd simply be one more Sith gone; some festering rot scrapped away from the foundation of the Empire.

Then there was the Emperors power that drummed at her every senses. A beat that usually made someone turn and run, but not today.

Today the young Sith trailed behind Alexei, keeping her distance but not too far. She was his silent shadow. A fully armored shadow, as she choose to wear her helmet this time. She blended in with other Sith, because nothing about her outfit really made her stick out. It was how she liked it, and how it should be.

Both of her hands were wrapped around the phrik hilts of her lightsabers. Ready to ignite in a snap-hiss the moment needed. Her body and senses on overload from gathering much needed power.

 

[Malon]

The throne room was dimly lit and the Emperor was seated calmly upon the throne that sat at the room's precipice. Shae was with him. Formerly the wife of the famed Jedi hero, Corvo Vis, she had taken him at his offer and freed herself from the shackles of her old life. She stood beneath his throne, on one of the two winding staircases that led to the floor where Alexei challenged him. If she felt any anxiety, she showed none of it; the dark side had emboldened her. No longer was she unsure of herself or her actions. She was where she was meant to be... and so was he.

"Ah," the Emperor's voice was deep, crisp, and booming. "Welcome, Grand Admiral." He purposely refused to use the title of "emperor" to address Alexei. The self-proclaimed ruler was still green; he would have to earn the right to be called that in the presence of the true master of the galaxy. "I have been expecting you for some time." The Emperor's smile, twisted and malevolent revealed anything but fear. He almost appeared to be enjoying the exchange. "Ah, but where are my manners. Introductions are in order. You have brought a... companion with you, I see. And I, well, you know who this is, don't you?"

He gestured to Shae. "But she can speak for herself and, anyways, I sense that she goes by a different name now. I shall leave her introduction in her most capable hands."

@Sreeya @Deviant @Dread

 

[Sreeya]

Shae observed the arrivals quietly, her yellow, animalistic eyes following their every move. Her thoughts were difficult to discern, though they often lied with the choices she made. There was regret, but it was mostly drowned out with the feeling of liberation. She felt the most alive she had felt in decades. She was no longer in the shadows, and she was finally in a position that could change the course of the entire Sith Order and what was left of it. The circumstances were dire, but they had held their ground on Ziost.

She didn’t have her helmet on, her silver hair falling around her shoulders. She had her standard armor on, lighter to allow for greater mobility. Twin sabers remained at her hips, ready to be ignited at a moment’s notice. As Malon referred to her, the faintest grin graced her features. She found this Alexei to be amusing at best, a little upstart that was trying entirely too hard to prove himself. Anyone that was so over eager often ended up getting a saber through them. His companion, however, piqued her curiosity. This figure didn’t come across as an overt or showboating type, and that only made them more dangerous.

“I don’t see the need to waste time with introductions when they’ll be dead within moments,” Shae knew very little discussion would take place. This was the showdown that would decide the ultimate fate and outcome of the civil war. This moment had been inevitable, and it was only luck that allowed Shae to be present for it. She was very far removed from her position as a Jedi General, but that only meant she had the same credibility as a Sith Lord within their ranks.

@Deviant @Dread @Malon

 

[Deviant]

orvo’s shadow. Malon’s lapdog. Shae Vis. They were all one and the same. Despite her reputation, she was just another pawn to another emperor, former or otherwise. She may have roasted the last Dark Lord, torched Kyuss Thaun, and laid waste to once undefeated rivals, but she was still nothing but a toy the Jedi and Sith fought over like spoiled children. Today, however, Alexei would break that wheel. In a foul swoop, he would end this petty squabbling and prop up his New Imperium into the limelight, before crushing the Jedi and ushering the galaxy into an age of order once again.

Slow and spectral in his movement, he approached the two as they gaze to him a little over fifteen meters away. His voice echoed through the hall, its words like venom. “Shae Vis, we meet at last. It’s unfortunate to see you shackled to the Sith again, this time only to wallow in the shadow of another emperor. But, I digress— you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” A soft chuckle escaped out from his lips. “It’s a good thing I don’t need an old dog to help lick up my own messes. Right, Malon?”

Should his final taunt remain uninterrupted, Alexei would unsheathe his prized sword, aiming it in the direction of the ironclad buffoon. “Let’s have at it, then.”

Spoiler: OoC

@Dread
me like short posts.

 

[Dread]

"My name is meaningless. I'm nothing but one symptom of your dying Order," this she said without hesitation.

Though her helmet covered her white as alabaster face, hiding the intensity and certainty of her gaze, one might be able sense it. Perhaps not only that but the deep rooted hatred for the things that stood before her. Fully aware that it was a seed that had been planted and nurtured in order to use her. It was for the best.

She took a step every time Alexei did, maintaining ten meters from him. If she could pull off what she wanted to, things might get a bit more interesting.

"Now," she spoke as she removed her right lightsaber from her belt, keeping hyper alert for any sudden movements. The purple blade hissed to life at her side. Her other hand remained where it was... waiting. "Gift me with death."

And with that, the desire for combat gripped her. Smothering everything else, providing that sweet bit of relief.

@Malon @Sreeya @Deviant

 

[Malon]

The Emperor rose, his face transfixed in a stern glare that raked across the room. Who to claim? The traitorous Grand Admiral or the girl? The question lingered no more than a moment. The answer was obvious: the Grand Admiral. The girl was a causality of his cause, but Malon felt no sorrow for her. A Sith must prove her strength. Only then is her cause deemed just. "I leave the girl to you," he said to Shae without adverting his gaze from the Grand Admiral. "The pretender is mine."

Purple lightning burst from the fingers of the Emperor's left hand in a storm of electricity that obliterated every shadow in every crevice of the throne room. The storm, spreading wider as it moved until it was as wide as the double-staircase leading to the Emperor's throne, bore down on the two would-be-ursurpers and threatened to vaporize them where they stood (if they did not move).

The storm was powerful—it had the ability to kill, as Malon was not one to play with his prey—but he did not expect it to do as intended. Instead, it was a show of power, and the true danger was coming after. By the time the storm ended, a lightsaber was in the Emperor's right hand. He glared down at Alexei, the man who called himself emperor, yet the words he spoke were in answer to the Sith girl. "Very well."

The lightsaber spat crimson fire.

@Sreeya @Deviant @Dread

 

[Sreeya]

Shae trained her gaze on the female, silently sizing her up. She called two sabers to her hands, though she only ignited the one in her right. As Malon spoke, Shae quietly paced back and forth like a predator eyeing prey. Her eyes were yellow and devoid of emotion beneath her helmet, though no one would be able to see them. Darkness whirled within her, and she could finally channel it without remorse. She tapped into the dark energies and she knew there were no limits. She could push this as far as she wanted and there were no moral dilemmas.

She drew in breath deeply, grinning at the woman's words. It was obvious the two women shared some levels of similarity. The simple sentence spoke volumes about Shae's own life. She had felt as if nothing more than a cog in the machine, and now she found herself on the apex of a pile of failures. Did she do this for Malon or herself? Shae's saber was blue, almost a mocking nod at her past as a Jedi. She twirled the blade around in her hand a few times as she began to move in on Blythe, fully aware of Malon and Alexei's movements. She wasn't above fighting dirty, and she knew they could switch tacts at any moment.

Without warning, Shae abruptly sped towards Blythe in a dash. She used a basic opener to force her to engage, saber swinging from Blythe's right to left horizontally across the chest. She fully expected resistance, but it was impossible to tell how without engaging. Her other hand remained at rest, still gripping the hilt of her second saber.

@Dread @Malon @Deviant

 

[Deviant]

owerful. Alexei knew fighting the Emperor would take more than a single-bladed sword and a suit of armor. This was the man who struck down the last Dark Lord of the Sith, clashed with the preceding Grandmaster, and ascended into the position as the greatest Sith in the known Empire. Still, he was just a man. Beneath his armor, he was shriveled skeleton, and Alexei was here to bury him once and for all.

As soon as Malon unleashed a storm of electricity, Alexei lurched back. The joint support kept himself from stumbling in his armor as he moved from the attack— not that it ultimately mattered. Fire shot out of his back and rocketed him into the air, narrowly avoiding the arc of lightning. Flashing his sword, the former Admiral chuckled aloud. “What’s the matter, Malon? No jetpack for your fancy armor?”

With that, he streaked forward, having no need to clamber up or down the stairs to the throne. Instead, he would clash with the Emperor beside it— after all, this was why they fought in the first place. For order, for power. Oh, the sweet irony. His thoughts burned in his mind, before clearing altogether as his blade came forward in clean, straightforward jab into Malon’s center of mass. Still, he didn’t come in too hot or too fast, fully prepared for the backbiting fool to jump aside or throw out another attack.

@Dread​

 

[Malon]

An impressive dodge, but Malon anticipated that Alexei would want to fight closer. The only way to win the Empire was to show the Sith—as Malon had on the icy slopes of the Citadel on Rhen Var—that he was the strongest. And that could not be achieved without single combat. The man's mistake was giving the Emperor time whilst he spewed his insults.

When the traitorous admiral, using his jetpack to propel him, shifted direction to dive on the Dark Lord, Malon raised a single black-gloved hand an exerted the Force like a vicegrip. The act would stop the flying man in mid-air and hold him in place with crushing pressure. Then, with a slight clenching of his fingers, Malon would tighten that grip and begin to squeeze. Slowly. He didn't want this to end without a lesson having been learned.

"I have no need of your trinkets," Malon stated calmly. "Nothing you have compares to the power of the Force."

In his remaining hand, the lightsaber hummed, as if in anticipation for blood.

@Sreeya @Deviant @Dread