Eye of the Storm [Void Serpents Mission]

[Dune]

Zakuul
A night some weeks ago
​

Darkness had just began to fall upon the swamp and jungle of endless Zakuul. As light died and the monsters of night gradually left their caves, two figures stood apart. Children of the sun leaving the safety of their cities to venture into the night with their tool of arrogance, fire. A burning wake they left, a trail of ashen tears drawing forth the prying eyes of the night stalkers all around. Hoods masked their faces, but in their step trekked an echo of something familiar, familial with the gnawing incisors and tearing claws eagerly swiping at the newfound light.

These were predators. They stalked the night like any panther and took their fill in their hunt. Hunger did not guide their hand, but something darker than even the blackest night. For as the bodies in their wake lay burning a singular enduring brand remained on their flesh. A phrase they sought to sound across not just a few wayward settlements or into the ears as a mere rumor, but a shout that would shake the very foundations of the world. Strewn across the burned men's flesh was the chaotic smattering of upraised skin reading,

REVENGE FOR THE FALLEN

Zakuul
Present day
​

Jisang Mentacova had seen just about as many gruesome sights as she had caused in her relatively short life, but that didn't dim the bodies more base responses to the sight before her. Pungent was a word to describe the odor now wafting harshly against her nostrils, a sensation she could thankfully diminish with an arm pressed heavily against her nose. Already the assassin had had enough of this with the sight of these victims, charred by men and mangled by beast, but what remained could be easily pieced together. A message and a deliberate one,

"Revenge for the fallen," she recited once more, "Whoever is doing this has reason, no matter how perverse."

That reason couldn't have mattered less if not for the unfortunate correlation that all the victims bore striking resemblance to the emissaries that the Serpents had set forth to negotiate a strengthened alliance in the region. Emissaries that all suspiciously had gone missing. Biting her lip the young woman moved about the scene making sure to keep her wits about her.

Odd as it was the woman was sent alone, at least at first. She was the scout or as she hearkened it, the bait. Jisang figured if the people who did this were still around, seeing a lonesome woman investigating would be a tasy second course, one they would have difficulty consuming without limbs. However, the craft of these killers was complete and clear, she was not dealing with madmen, they had intelligence, sense, and purpose, from that trio spawned greatness, but also darkness.

Tapping her communicator twice, Jisang indicated the coast was clear to those in the surrounding brush and moved away from the corpses after taking some photos for evidence and identification. They had brought along a few extra bodies to gather what remained of the victims as even the hard-blooded Jisang knew it would be harsh beyond reason to deny families a proper burial. Ironically many of these emissaries would be burned again, once in life, now in death.

On edge in the thick jungle and mired in swamp, the young woman gripped her blade. Thick and strong both hands held upon the grip like an old friend and truly this particular blade was her oldest and most trusted companion. Jisang noted others were coming so she stayed her hands as she looked into the darkness of the forbidding jungle. Thick with evil and ripe with danger this planet proved a costly investment, its bounty only rivaled by its harsh independence streak. How many would die to see it tamed and even then how long would it even stay that way.

These were not Jisang's concerns. All that mattered now were finding those responsible and bringing them the same pain they had brought their fellow Serpents. Others in the organization might say family, but that wouldn't due for the assassin. She did not, could not, love her family.

​

@Baobhan @Tray Tor

 

[Baobhan]

'Attacking from two locations, may trap the enemy, but it halves your force.'​

... Eris had heared that one of the other Serpents had been sent on ahead to ensure that the coast was clear, but the Palatine was enraged about the events that had unfolded. She could not bear the thought of the tradesmen and respected members of the community that she and others had sent to rekindle old alliences would be cold bloodedly murdered like that. But not only that, although those who had been sent were aged, some of the victims had been members of the order, retired though they may be, in the ranks of the Order, you earned your retirement. They were soldiers once, which meant that whatever had killed them, had out-fought what skill they had still retained. Which for at least one of them, was considerable...

As she arrived on the scene, Eris could immediately tell there were signs of some struggle, but it seemed that those who were stationed here were either completely taken unprepared, or, they were simply overwhelmed with force that they could not have hoped to match within the short time frame that they had in order to match it. Eris, in her full armour and helmet. Her shield rested on her back and sword and pistol hanging fastened from either of her hips, was using the blunt end of her spear as a walking stick as she came onto the scene, her long red and gold robes hanging from around her waist and shoulders framing her, as the small lights from the semi-mechanical armour made her not look entirely lost to history.

It was just a shame with the circumstances.​

... Looking at the wreckage as she approached from afar, it didn't seem like there were any survivors to speak of, though the evidence somewhat spoke for itself. She hadn't found, on her approach at least, any tracks that would have noted a point of entry or exit from the encampment. But such things were often luck based at the very start. Eris had received some information on the people that she would be working with from Apophe and her own slightly paranoid mind. Seeing as her men seemed to have been targeted deliberately, the eyes of an assassin would be more than welcome on a mission in tracking down assassins. Eris thought like a military strategist, she was a guerrilla fighter, she understood tactics and subterfuge, but this was something else entirely. Assassination to her, was simply killing enemies fast enough from A to B so that they could not alert the next mark in the sequence.

And here lay the asset​

... As Eris approached the hazard zone, she would wave to gain the attention of the woman who was already standing there while calling out simultaneously. “So, what do we have here? Cause? Clues? anything?” she spoke in no uncertain terms, she wanted to know as much of what happened in what order with what tools. Especially if there were any survivors or eye witnesses that they could use to get an idea of what or who managed to pull off an attack like this. As unlikely as an Eye witness seemed in this butchers den... However, she was on guard, the enemy could know that they were being followed one way or another, and while it was unlikely for Eris to move from place to place without her retinue... this was a special occasion.

The palatine could already tell this was going to be a loooong day.​

 

[Dune]

Jisang was lifted from her reverie by rather experience hands, for one so young. She had little room to talk on this point as the assassin noted she was younger still, presumably. Circumstance had forced her hand on more than one occasion and whether her early jettison into responsibility had made her stronger or weaker had yet to be seen.

A question of the reason for this madness seemed farfetched at best, but the question was lengthy and along that length some droplets of information could be squeezed. Looking again at the carnage by design before her, Jisang turned her eyes towards the woman and recognized her. While, she was new to the Void Serpents even a neophyte knew when they looked upon royalty, or as close as one got in their merry band of misfits. Nodding in respect to this unexpected dignitary, Jisang noted they were still alone. Curious she thought dangerous.

"Cause remains to be seen expect for the cryptic message scarred into all the victims. Vengeance for the fallen, no idea what that could mean. Cause of death you'd think would be burning, but if you notice every victim has some variation of a bruise on their body that seems to stretch all along their frame."

Jisang gestured to a few close by examples, purple veins crisscrossing across their sunken frames in a fatal labyrinth. Sunken eyes still seemed to hold tales of horror. She'd seen eyes like them in her early days, days of teaching that the coldest parts of the galaxy aren't in the black stillness of the void, but in the hearts of men. Shaking her head, the assassin again lifted herself from thoughts unneeded and continued,

"I think they were drained of blood causing their death. These remains are nearly mummified, but some have only been dead for three days maybe less."

She spoke from experience, cause enough deaths and everyone becomes a coroner. Jisang had even deliberately shifted bodies, adding various elements and lacerations just to throw inexperienced investigators through a loop. It was cruel and unnecessary, but so was existence.

"Eris Morgana," she said in sudden and full recollection not quite realizing she spoke aloud before bowing slightly in semi-hidden embarrassment, "This must be a matter of great import, I'm honored."

Turning and moving away from the offal she remembered her earlier concerns,

"I think I've gathered as much information from the field from these victims as I can, should we not have some gather them to be buried by their kin? Or at least to be examined with better equipment?"

@Tray Tor @Baobhan

 

[Asteroid]

Markus was now convinced that holding back his gang from partaking in the conquest of Zakuul had been a smart move. While he was certain that the two other tribes would think less of both him and the Unchained for it he was convinced that the lack of casualties would prove to be a far better choice than hurt feelings; especially since Markus currently had his eyes set on the construction of a new space station which was to be the new base of operations for the Unchained's various exploits in wild space. However, before he could tend to the rest of the planning he had to tend to a personal favor at the behest of Apophe. Considering that the women secured his daughter for him he had no choice but to accept. ​

The carnage laid out before him was nothing short of barbaric and seemed to follow the Serpents wherever they went. In the past few weeks alone Markus had witnessed more brutality than his entire career as an arms dealer. "I don't see what good that would do." He said, squatting down to get a better look at one of the cadavers letting his cigarette burn. ​

"It's not our job to figure out how they died all we need to do is find the guy who did this and plug him. Besides, they've been out here for this long they'll hold together for a little while longer until we can track down the man who did this." Markus replied as he stood up and kicked one of the corpses with his loafer. ​

 

[Ivalen Bora]

Bodies drained of blood, fires set...all this didn't set too well with Slug, like some kind of ill omen of an evil spirit...or one trying to be one. The Tusken would be looking around, having joined up with the group to find out what had happen to the emissaries, and to bring tribal justice for those who have fallen...but even as vicious as the Tuskens themselves could be, this seemed...excessive and with hate possibly?

Slug would prop the butt end of his rifle on the ground as he crouched and looked for any tracks, he had it out and looking down the scope as Jisang scouted the area, just to make sure if anything, or anyone tried jumping her that it would be the last thing they did. While observing the ground to see if there were any clear indication of tracks Slug would find...a few possible leads, though hard to tell what made them. One must know what to look for even in shifting ground to track game to eat, hunting murderers was no different so a few patterns made themselves evident but nothing that Slug was confident enough to say for certain of what made which tracks.

Slug would look over when Jisang greeted Eris as he stood up and walked over, shouldering his rifle. If there was any leads or solid plans made to hunt down the ones responsible then Slug wanted to know. The Serpents were his tribe now, and no one murdered tribe members and lived especially if Slug had anything to say about it. He lost one already, no way he'll lose another.

 

[Baobhan]

'Nothing Ends, Everything is Remembered'​

... Eris would nod to Jisang, the girl seemed to have a good mind about her, Eris approved of mental aptitude as much as physical, which, among the void serpents, was beginning to feel like the minority vote. As marcus, one of the more known members of the Serpants would make himself known, leaning down and asserting, with varying degrees of truth, that the goal here was not to investigate those who were dead, it was to kill the killers who were still at large. Eris stood, only to see a bandaged stranger crouched and inspecting the area for tracks. This person, Eris did not have any knowledge of, though they seemed to be holding a rifle of some kind with a bandaged face and shaggy exterior. the Tusken didn't say much, but his or her focus seemed to be keen on solving the murder as well... Eris could only assume that the person was also a part of their intended party who would no doubt introduce themselves when the time was right.

But it seemed that their motley crew was forming​

“Any members of the Order being killed is a matter of great import, these men were sent here by me to re-ignite old treaties with splinter factions who would come to our aid in taking the world. Some-one obviously heard about them, and decided it best to take them out. These two were sent to talk to Ahran and Mesik. Two particular leaders who broke off from our order in the time of our predecessor. No-one other than myself, some members of the Serpents, and those two men knew of their task... Which at least limits our suspect pool to thousands. ” Eris would speak with a frustrated smirk crossing across her face. though the idea that they had simply been attacked at random was not something that could be ignored either. Zakuul was a dangerous place, but these men were under enough guard to have held off rag-tag bandits and wildlife that was present in the area... which left the doors open to a more professional mercenary force.

Her eyes moved to the Tusken​

“But as much as I hate to say it, Marcus is dead right, we're not here for their cause of death, if it can help us track what we're hunting, sure, but we should move on if there's nothing here.... What about you there? You seem interested in something, found anything?” She would call out over the top of anyone else, pulling away from the group and walking over, hand on her sword as always.

 

[Dune]

Jisang held her tongue lest she bite it or something else. Acrid smoke wafted about the air, the air mixing in with the charred remains of the fallen. Jisang's head tilted violently as she imagined her own corpse desecrated in such a way. This man spoke with such finality, as if death itself was the end. No ceremony, no grieving, an inconvenience was death to the living. What a fool. Her hand instinctively went to her blade as he kicked the corpses, but she stopped herself. Temperamental, too quick to kill, that was what got her here. Despite herself a part of her agreed with his assessment. True peace for the dead came with justice.

On came a strange being. She had never seen a Tusken raider before and presumed it was just a human with perhaps some horrible burns. Oddly enough this would put them in no minority in this place of horrors, so this oddity barely registered to her. This one would treat the corpses with respect, but he too was on the hunt. As Eris spoke, Jisang listened. Order was important, no assassin worth their salt lived a life without rules. Respect for all things, especially life, was essential.

"It would take me some time to kill thousands," Jisang muttered deadpan at the mention of their pool of suspects. Noting the interest in the Tusken she moved over looking down at the tracks. Her survivalist skills in this region were meager, but even she noted the indents leading toward the brush just ahead.

"Something like tracks, a bit large, maybe some kind of vehicle?" she surmised looking again into the opaque forest before her.

@Tray Tor

 

[Ivalen Bora]

Spoiler: OOC

Slug Shorak was my sub-account

Slug would listen to the group, and when Eris asked him what exactly it was he found he brought his right hand to his chin area as he gave off two animal grunts, they didn't sound confident but he did nod showing he did find something as he walked over to the tracks he found, only looking over to Marcus as the Tusken shook his head, they were comrades, some honor and respect should be shown in any case.

Jisang was good at her observation as well. The tracks were faded due to being three days and other foot traffic from native animals and any weather going on. Slug would crouch down and show what seemed foot tracks that, when motioning with his hand, seemed either one very busy being or two that seemed to circle a bit. That was odd to Slug, could be someone investigating the area or it could have been who they were hunting. They did go to some brush but then the tracks changed from foot to...well Slug could only guess to some kind ground vehicle that didn't hover.

Giving another grunt Slug would also motion to the amount of foot tracks that seemed to go straight to the bodies and left. Times like these Slug wished he could talk common or had a translator. They needed to figure out now if the ones they were hunting were the through type that stayed and circled once or twice to make sure they were dead...or was it someone who came in, did the deed in such a vicious manner, and left quickly to get away.

 

[Asteroid]

Markus hoped that kicking the corpse with his loafer would reveal some sort of clue like in those old private eye holotapes he used to watch when he was a child, unfortunately his show was not blessed with detective skills and only succeeded in making some of the members on his team angry that he tagged along.

What seemed to be the sole clue of these murders lied in the weathered tracks that went off into the brush. "Unless anyone else has any bright ideas I say we get or selves a speeder and follow these tracks."​

 

[Asteroid]

Spoiler

I'm drawing a blank here, in the interest of moving the plot forward just skip me this one time.

 

[Baobhan]

'And time moved on'​

... Eris would follow the others as they would make their way through the swampy wetlands, though the palatine was used to it, she was glad that their new entrant seemed to be handy when it came to tracking in one form or another. The Vehicles that the assailants, or whomever had taken them, were not hover based, which posed some of an issue, in wetlands like these, tracks did not often hang around on the surface for very long, as the mud would close them over, but, assuming that the machine could not swim, there was only a hand-ful of roads through this area that a machine like that would have been able to make its way through. A hidden boon which would not so secretly vastly increase their chances of finding the people they were looking for.

Or at least a Vessel to them.​

... It would take some time for the group to arrive at the location the tracks led to, moving from one spot to another, each time they found what little track in mud they could find it would give them another heading. Slight alterations to the path of the vehicle gave them the direction they would then move to deal with. Hours would pass, ultimately, they would come past the foliage into the open looking over one of the large mercenary ports that scattered the planet of Zakuul and its moons. Independent of the empire that were upon them, they were a remnant of an earlier time, a time when Zakuul was nothing but a frontier world split between traders and indigenous peoples like the Order. The township was a fort, made to protect them against the elements, but in turn it was also neutral, little hostility would be found within its walls unless one went searching for it.

Or it searched for them...
what the group didn't know, was the quarry that they searched for in this case,
was not exactly what it seemed to be.​

... Nine hours prior:
It was too dark to make out faces as the diplomat and his body-guards had returned from their travel to the merchant fort not far from here with supplies for the camp. Parking the vehicle off the beat and track so that it would be hidden from the same bandits and savages that they had their guards to protect them from, they dismounted and made their way to the camp. Smiles on their faces, they dragged their tired legs through the murky swamp only to raise their gaze and see nothing but red... Two hulking men standing in what seemed to be the end of a spree that had ended the lives of almost half a dozen men. The Legatine guards jumped out of their haze after but a moment, but it was too late, something had already struck one of them as the other ordered the official to run! The official darted off into the distance, something snipping at the side of his leg, threatening to drop him to the ground as his blood stained the ground. The official could hear the drawing of a blade and the beginning of combat echoing over the sound of him starting his vehicle. But just as he turned to see if the guard was following, he heard the gargled cries of his defeat. Revving the motor, the wounded man fled into the darkness...

He'd seen everything...

And so the hunt was on.​

Spoiler

Time-skipped us to something more relevant. If people wanna talk on the way, feel free to go into flashback. I've also defined a lead that we're looking for, hope people don't mind, if there's an issue, tell me. I'm happy to NPC the offical once we get there to interrogate and the baddies if people want me to. I'll just move Eris into a more 'supporty' role. So you guys can take the lime-light. :)

 

[Dune]

It seemed she and the others were in agreement about her sighting. Jisang stayed silent along the boggy trail, her ear ever to the ground for the slightest change in tone. Death was all around them truly, for a swamp is just a land of the slow dying. Wet and muddy their clomping feet made a cacophony of murky music. Dead trees swayed in the wind as if the presence of life offended them.

Hours passed as sight and sound and smell all became a dingy brown. It was a dangerous time, the assassin knew, to be in expectation of a singular thing was to deny all the many dangers around you. Jisang knew little of her companions, but she knew all of them had been brought here for a reason. Each possessed a singular skill that may see this task through. Killers reigned in this land, but no longer. Jisang would see to that.

Moving out of the swamp at last, the assassin felt good as she regained her footing. Stomping for a moment to rid her feet of the most egregious dirt, Jisang looked around noting darkness had fallen here too. Still starlight guided them as many outlines of far flung mountains and greater forests beckoned across the plains. She would not here their call, for Jisang knew where she was bid. To catch ones prey one must think like it. Where would a killer go. Where else?

To kill again.

Walls to the east, a fortification of ancient structure. Providence to many, but on this day most likely damnation.

"They'd head there," Jisang said with finality her hand pointing towards the decayed stone and steel. Without waiting for reply she moved toward the fortification, keeping low and staying steady. As a precaution she readied her bowcaster. A relic from a far off time, but useful, well built and silent. Loading it her eyes peered into the scope looking along the walls and saw no one. If she wasn't sure before, she was now.

They were there.

 

[Ivalen Bora]

The trek through the swamp would not be...pleasing to say the least for Slug. Sure he was use to having his feet sink into the ground, sand had a way of giving out on a person. But that was just it, Slug was not used to swamps as he kept trying to get whatever muck got onto his boots as he kept trekking forward, making as little sound as possible.

Soon they would make it onto more level footing as Slug would be relieved as he shook off the last of the muck and who knows what got onto his boots as he looked over to Jisang as she said where they would have headed. Slug looked over to the fortification as he nodded, taking out his Cycler as he crouched a bit, his footsteps now silent as he equaled out the pressure over the bottom of his feet as he crept his way in the dark to the wall, seeing if he could get a better look for himself.

 

[Baobhan]

The village seemed expansive, though the marks of the speeder would be identifiable right up to the gate of the small fortress, however, upon entrance they would be easily lost amongst the countless similar and contradictory tracks that would make a mess of the city streets, each of them unique, each of them travelling in similar directions, some of them even similar in nature would almost completely mask the trail for the group... though it was certain that it had made its way here. The guards as the group made their approach would barely give the group recognition, as dozens of far more menacing looking people made their way into the facility on a daily basis, faces changed constantly, it was only those in uniforms, looking official that they would raise their guard for... and nothing about the motley crew seemed to be uniform....

@Jisang: Though there were few on the walls, there wasn't no-one... However whether it was simply out of carelessness or a testament to your own skill, you move through completely unnoticed by those on top compared to much of the rest of the group as they make their approach... though their reaction seemed to be little more than stray glances at worst. Keen eyes watching the streets, you see what seem to be several speeders parked around the area, some in the living areas, some at some kind of cantina, but many seemed to be hovering models rather than tracked or wheeled cycles that would leave the tracks that you were following. But of those few that there were which would match the description, two were spotted parked outside the 'cantina,' while, at some distance one may be able to find tracks that seemed to be made by another moving in the direction of the space port.

@Slug: As you would make your approach, slug would notice that the buildings consisting the area were largely isolated due to the small stature of the area, there would be no individual living areas or residential area, so much as a series of group living areas much like taverns or hostels peppering the encampment, while space for few established merchants and a single bar would be noted in the vicinity that people were freely moving from and between. Established streets and a central meeting area were self evident to the keen observer, though what stood out amongst everything else was a small improvised space port for ships which had landed in the area, being the only multi-story building in the camp. As well as a central bar, which seemed to double as some kind of brothel would be highlighted in the heart of the fort which seemed to be attracting the most attention from the residents. Enslaved girls stood out the front of the establishment attempting to usher patrons into the building for pazac or other entertainment... whether it be sex, gambling, drink or spice.

Eris approached the wall, walking in with a hand on her blaster pistol for protection, moving in and past those who stood at the wall looking from side to side to see where people may have gone... looking back to the group she would announce to those not attempting to remain hidden; "I'll move to where they keep the ships and try to keep people from leaving for a while, you take time to find our people. If there's any sign of trouble, call me and I'll be there." She spoke with some authority before turning on her heel and walking to the station in long hurried strides, but refraining from running in any way, her thumb caressing a magnetic grenade that was attached to her belt, thinking about how she was going to ensure no ships left in the near future.