Fate of the Norns: A Mission to Zakuul

[Baobhan]

'An open mind is like a fortress, with its gates unbarred and unguarded.'​

... Eris stood in the courtyard arena, her people around her, each one of them donned in the armour of the honor guard, weapons in their hands. Citizens in their dozens sat on the steps as they would come to watch the training of Eris and her closest guardsmen. Dozens of guards in various states of armour would be seen training in pairs around them, whether they be fighting with weapons, hand to hand, grappling, striking or otherwise. But the fringe advanced training was not what they came for... The gladiatorial sparring and challenges of groups hand-picked by Eris was the main attraction, standing in among 3 men and a woman Eris would speak openly, organizing their positions so that they would have the best advantage in combat. While the men and women of the honor guard, knew well every word that Eris spoke, the tutelage was not for their mental reinforcement, but rather for those who watched, it made them feel like they were seeing part of the training, inspired them to become like their idols.

It was not hard to see the glimmer in the eye of the younger ones.​

"Remember, when surrounding an opponent take up positions in front and behind them, never fix off in a square formation, as your opponent will always have sight of three of you. You want one in front, two standing well behind your opponent's shoulder line. That way, if they focus on one of you, two are always in their blind-spot. If there is four or more of you, it's best to fix three in place and have the fourth of you roam to avoid that square. So, pick your stations, and let's begin... Come at me."

... It would take moments for them to come together as a group, The first of them would charge head on in an open display of aggression, far before the others would have their chance to move. Eris would nod to the engaging opponent and step in to meet them. The honor guards' sword cutting diagonally up for eris whom, stepping in, would reach out a hand to grab at the wrist of the soldier before the arc could be made. But no sooner had she done so, others had reacted in turn, protecting their comrade, one of the two behind them had closed the gap, swinging their glaive for the backs of her legs. Needing to abandon her grappled quarry, she'd slide the leg the glaive targetted in between the legs of her opponent, lowering her stance and throwing him over her shoulder. It didn't take much for the soldier to flow with the momentum, route himself and half sommersault to his feet again... Eris was now facing down three of them, in an ideal scenario, the wanderer had barely had the chance to come to her side while, as she had charged the wall of their group, she effectively had them all in sight.

So she called them to halt.​

"So... what went wrong?" She would ask the group openly, one of them calling attention to himself with a nod and saying that they had allowed her to break the wall of their assault. Eris nodded adding. "Correct, but walls can fall and be rebuilt, if you see an enemy charging a weak point in your line, reinforce it. I was attacked from the front and from behind, good, i can't fight a battle on two fronts, but i made it one. So, your wandering man, and your third, if two people are already engaging, should rotate to the direction I move in, analyze, look for openings and aid when able. Should i move to incapacitate one of those assaulting me, move in, take their place and allow them to recover. Keep the heat on and never relent there's only one of me and there's mo-"

... Eris was cut off as her eyes were attracted to a light in the sky, not a bird or asteroid, but rather that of what looked to be a large ship coming in to land on the forest moon of Zakuul. It seemed the group had a visitor. There was little civilisation to be found here, merchant towns and outposts more than anything. They had not had a large interstellar ship here for some time... Eris was not one to spark hostility so quickly, but ambition knocked as she saw in that ship the chance to see the stars as she had yearned to for some time. Eris, in a moment of haziness, could see, no, 'feel' flashes of something yet to come, a battle that she could not describe, fought with strange weapons and armour, the likes she had never seen before... Destiny was calling... Looking to the guard, she would yell out, ordering them to pay attention as she would make a single motion to the sky.

Brothers and sisters, to me! The outsider has smiled upon us this day, I have seen it, that ship will be our arc to follow in the footsteps of the outsider!

... The honor guard cheered, and the civilian followers around her would gather to see. Eris proclaimed loudly to spread the word, that it was tome for them to no longer cower in the shadow of a forgotten world. That those who wished to stay and preserve the faith in their homeland were welcome, but it was their duty to find their mentor. She ordered the honor guard to her side, three dozen men in total as she would place on her helmet, and make her way quickly for the site of the incoming ship. Her sword in hand, pistol at her side and with her shield hitched on her back, she would rush the location with her men as soon as they were ready to do so...

If they had to take the ship by force, they would. But little could be certain.​

@Retroboy

 

[Retroboy]

​

Apophe KeYahm, Imperatrix of the Void Serpents, looked over the planet's surface with mild disinterest. Though she was young, she had seen many planets like Zakuul in her life. Once, greens like this had mystified her, back when her life was confined to that of her mother ship. But travel across the Galaxy had made what was once strange and new into something commonplace and boring. Still, places like Zakuul had their own benefit. Backwards populations to raid and subjugate, and supplies to take with them. The journey had been long, and the men could probably have done with more beer. Hopefully, the population of Zakuul did not subscribe to a dry philosophy.

"My lady," said one of her subjects. "We've detected people on the surface."

Apophe looked up from the viewport, picking her shorts out from somewhere uncomfortable. Ah, she thought to herself. That came quicker than expected. In her boredom, she had neglected to wear her armour, instead dressing in a loose tank-top and some high waisted shorts. Not especially regal but this was a simple smash and grab mission. Her strawberry blonde hair was tied back into a single high pony-tail, mostly to keep it out of her face.

"Are they armed?" she asked, silently hoping they were.

"They seem to be," responded the subject. "They're over in that temple there."

A slow smile crossed Apophe's place. Now this will be interesting. She felt herself idly wiggling her taloned fingers, relishing the idea of raking them across someone's throat. It had been too long since she had a good fight.

"Very good," she cooed. "Let's go say hello."

"At once, Imperatrix!" the crewmen cried, and the Ashes of Satramand turned towards the temple, preparing to make touch-down and bring some civilization to the people of Zakuul.

Apophe looked over at her sister, one of the few high-rankers within the Void Serpents that she had brought with her on this little venture. Lazzis was one of the few people she could trust to always have with her, without fail. She needed her older sister in many ways, someone to complement her own savagery. None worked in sync with Apophe like her sister did, ever since they were young. There was something to be said for that.

"Lazzis," she began. "Get ready, we might have to bust some skulls." As she spoke, she began to pull her armour on over her clothes, adjusting the breastplate to make sure it fit snugly. She didn't put on all of her armour, neglecting her helmet. She wanted these temple-goers to look her in the eyes when they saw her.

@SpookySkeleton

 

[SpookySkeleton]

Action, on this backwater mission to the ass end of nowhere? She looked at her sister, at the half empty glass in her end, then back at her sister before downing the rest of it in a rush. She sat up, pounding her right fist into her left hand. "Aiiight, now that's what I'm talking about. Whatta they look like?" She wasn't expecting much of anything during this, and almost intended to let her sister handle all of it. She was barely clothed, wearing only a long and loose shirt, thinking she would spend a lot more of the day half asleep, but the prospect of a fight after a space trip got her blood pumping instantly. She was up, heading to fetch her armor instantly.

It wasn't the easiest to put on, but she disliked asking for help. Intricate cabled lined the insides, leading to hidden presses that allowed bits of the hulking mass to fall off if she needed them to. Large, heavy steel scraps of plates, some of which she thought may have come off of ships, adorned with teeth and bones and held together with unattractive, thick rivets. Long, matted fur around the collar that seemed to come from something far too sentient and needing to be cleaned of stains hung around her neck, but as almost obscured by her massive mess of bright hair. Shaved on the sides, but kept unusually long for a fighter, she hadn't had time to do anything efficient with it. Unlike her sister, however, she brought her helmet with her. Not equipping it immediately, but letting it hang from a latch on her long, spear-like vibro-ax. The serpents-mouth visage clanged noisily as she went to his sisters side, ready for a throw down.

She let the weapon lean against a wall, and proceeded to run her hands through her firey red hair, making a vain attempt to get it out of the way and into a form that would hold in the helmet. "I always did love surprises, dear sister." she quipped, running her tongue over her lips as she thought about what kind of foes might be below.

 

[Baobhan]

'The Night is Cold, and Full of Terrors...'​

... Eris and her people would move like shadows through the foliage of her planet, each of them wearing similar black and white ceremonially patterend armour and cloths with religious symbols embossed into their frames and decorating their clothing. Eris was no exception. Gripping her sword tightly she found herself ducking and weaving between low hanging branches, jumping small rivers with but a single bound and making sharp turns as she and her people ran the tireless gauntlet through the rainforests of the temple moon of Zakuul. It took time, but they inevitably arrived at their destinations, her men drawing archaic blaster pistols that would operate more like short range explosive weapons rather than a long range armour piercing armament. Taking tactical cover among the trees and folds of the landscape as they watched in awe as the behemoth of heated steel landed with a gearous churning.

the titan, was unlike anything that Eris had ever seen.​

... The ship, what the galaxy would know as a corvette class cruiser, a large ship, but small as far as military ships were concerned, was monstrous to Eris, forcing her to step out of cover in front of her men as she observed the marvel of machinery in all its glory. It was perfect. All she had been exposed to at this point were the ships of the few pirates and low lives which lived on the moon as well as central Zakuul, they had been fighters, personal transports and light freighters at the largest, but this... it was like a dragon looking down upon an insect. The size of an entire village in the shape of a space faring craft. While others shared her sentiment, some of the light in their eyes were sparks of fear, doubt, eagerness and mirth... Eris' eyes, were a bottled inferno of ambition. Her and her people would be leaving on this ship, she would do anything to make it so. It was her destiny to fly across the stars...

And she would not be denied.​

... Should anyone move to exit the steel titan, Eris and her brigade would immediately train weapons on the opening as they would await to see if the people within were hostile. They had no idea whether or not those inside were aware of their presence, but it was safe to say that they were, and they would await 'almost' any action taken by those who would exit. Eris however, was worried about the capitol class weaponry upon the ship, guns which looked as though they could tear apart a mountainside had they wished to, should they be trained on them, the damage could be immense... The only chance in that instance would be to rush the ship, or retreat into the forest and scatter like insects into the forest behind them... the latter of those options were unacceptable.

 

[Retroboy]

The Ashes of Satramand settled down on the surface of Zakuul smoothly, only rocking itself slightly once it touched solid ground. Apophe's smile did not subside for a second as her subjects prepared themselves to exit. A few warriors looked eager to spill blood, only barely restraining themselves in fear of angering their Imperatrix and being banned from partaking in the "festivities". Apophe saw fit to wait, letting her first hear reports before she threw herself out into the unknown.

"They've surrounded the ship," said one of her more senior officers. "Orders?"

Apophe's grin grew even wider. "Excellent," she said. "Slow march, behind me. Gunners, stay in the ship. They fire a single shot before I'm done talking, light'em up. After the first volley of fire, Yahm charge in. Understood?"

"Understood!" cried the Void Serpents.

Apophe, content with the response, walked to the exit, flanked by her best soldiers. She flexed her talons one last time, before shooting Lazzis an eager look as the shutter doors of the hangar began to open. However, once the doors were open, her demeanor changed entirely. She walked forward, her thrust up high and her shoulders square. She stepped forward, ahead of the pack of warriors behind her, her long limbs carrying her forward in a stride. She made some effort to ensure that her hips swayed with each step, confidence dripping off of her like wax from a candle. Finally, after a short, dramatic pause, she spoke.

"People of Zakuul! she cried, her voice projecting like a rock star's. "I am Apophe KeYahm, Imperatrix of the Void Serpents. I hope you are all doing well." She gave a crooked smirk, as though she had just made some terribly cutting joke. "We are here for supplies, and we have chosen you to give them to us. We will also be taking on any warriors that are willing. Now, I am aware that you might not have enough to share. I want to assure you, that's fine, we don't care, we'll take what we want anyway."

Conspicuously, every gun on the Ashes of Satramand swiveled to face the troops, silently daring a single person to be brave enough to try and take a shot at the Imperatrix or one of her many warriors. The Void Serpents watched the other warriors with grim anticipation as well, ready to throw themselves at the enemy.

"Any questions?"

@SpookySkeleton
@Baobhan

 

[SpookySkeleton]

The pops and crackling sounds as Lazzis worked her hands across each other, cracking every knuckle on each finger, brought the strangest sense of satisfaction: each little noise like a small, but pleasing release. It calmed her, let her focus on what she hoped would be a battle to come. With luck, it would be hard fought. Struggle was the mother of strength- blood was it's father. She blocked out the voices around her, not even noticing the movement of the ship as they landed. Her weapon in her hand, and the only person she cared to feel in front of her. Lazzis' breathing slowed drastically just before her sister walked out. A final few moments in mental silence, meditating on her power and concentrating on The Force.

Then, her sister stepped forward, and the calm shattered. It was time for her to go to work, instantly pulling a bit of power into herself, augmenting her senses. A wild grin flashed across Lazzis' face, who followed her Imperatrix not with grace, not with the charisma that almost could be seen visibly oozing off the giant woman. No, her steps were hard and sharp with nothing feminine about them. Her body was tense and rigid, like a spring holding back too much pressure. The axe, long and double-ended, stood straight in her right hand, while her left was balled into her fist and resting on her cocked hips. Locks of red hair fell down out of her helmet, which she had hurriedly put up and now hoped would stay put. She stood only halfway between her sister and the ship, letting Apophe take the lead. She was quick enough to back her up if she needed it, and new the distances to stay to be both in the background and remain a visible threat.

Her eyes, wild and dark, scanned the jungle, her senses searching for the signs of hostiles. Whatever kind of people they were, they seemed even more backwoods than she thought. The tension made it hard to keep her rigid posture, she could feel the blasters on them, and only madmen would willingly engage them against such overwhelming odds. She scoffed, very lightly, thinking that only madmen would be camped in the middle of the jungle like this in the first place. Who were they, what sort of nut might lead them? The idea was engaging. Someone here was strong. She could feel it. The muscles in her legs twitched, ready at a moment to drive her weapon into one of these backwater nobodies.

 

[Baobhan]

'One could cut the tension with a blade.'​

... The sound of the ship opening was inevitable, drawing Eris' attention as she would move forward under the shadow of the ship to look at whom would come down, she was not blind to the massive canons of the ship turning to face her, but with the power of each of them, there was some solace in the fact that she was certain, if they were anything like the blasters of her world, the radii of the explosion would decimate anything nearby, if they had a leader among them, they would not strike while they would be in range of harm. At least, she hoped so, these people could be ruthless. Eris could see those who would exit behind a monolithic woman, the person who came out looked somewhat like a raptoid, her posture was tall, with angular features though she was proportionate to her size, but metalic talons graced her arms and legs... this woman was like her, not entirely organic, the claws did not look large enough to be an armour or something she would wear over her arms.

Though the initial hesitation turned to confidence, as Eris would approach the woman as she would begin her addredd to those in the immediate area.​

... Eris could see the calm confidence in her eyes, she was a woman who was used to victory, well, it was going to be hard fought here. It was a shame that those who commanded the power of a machine like the one they had entered on seemed to be nothing more than mere thieves. Eris expected them to be some form of military, conquerors, something to be proud of, but common thieves who would plunder what they wished from villages and temples? It was a despicable waste. Eris stood before the woman proudly, her platinum haid could be seen falling out of the back of her helmet as she would gesture in her general direction to attract her attention.

“Welcome to Zakuul, I'm sure you will find that those who follow the way of the Outsider are a courteous people, I am Eris Morgana, Palatine of our humble order. We would gladly give you food and respite from your no doubt long and arduous travels... but if you think to take from us which we deem sacred, and do not desire to give freely... ” She spoke, with a fire in her eyes as her lips twisted into a shark-like grin at the idea of a challenge. “ Then I hope you and your men cowering behind you aren't as weak as you all look. ”

... Eris had seen the retaliatory insult justified, the people before them had just claimed rights to their belongings, so she hoped they were ready for a fight, the thought of their advanced technology was undermined by the pieces of armour they wore strung to themselves like the trophies of many battles. No uniform. Each of them seemed vastly larger than any of Eris' men or women, an advantage of power and resilience that could not be ignored, but, while they were large, she doubted that any of them fought with any real form of finesse or discipline. Those who grew with such overpowering advantages had little reason to harness or refine their strengths in a meaningful way compared to an underdog who would have to scrape and claw to get any possible advantage... But this woman, this, imperatrix... something was different about her. Eris was not to underestimate 'this' particular opponent.

She could feel the sensation of combat looming on the battle-field, all the while, while Eris spoke, while she jeered in the direction of her adversary, she was prepared and alert to her surroundings, ready to move at a moments notice.​

 

[Retroboy]

Apophe stared at the woman for a moment, her eyes alight with something fierce. Then, she began to giggle uncontrollably. She threw back her head in laughter, and the rest of the Void Serpents joined her. The truth was, the Yahm never really believed in a fair fight, they believed in winning. But Apophe, she was different. She relished the chance to test her strength against others, and this woman had just, more or less, issued her a challenge. A challenge that Apophe would be hard pressed to simply pass up.

"Stones in glass houses, precious," she said, eyeing the men nestled in the bushes. "Your men are cowering in the trees. So much for strength there."

She stretched, allowing her full size to be on display. She sauntered forward, walking with an exaggerated sashay closer to Eriss, as if the chance of being hit with a blaster bolt didn't even bother her in the slightest. Eventually, she stopped in front of the apparent leader of this rag-tag band, her eyes never leaving her for a second. She leaned in, her eyes flicking up and down.

"Eris, right?" she asked. "How about you lemme look you in the eyes, mm?". There was no real ploy in getting Eris to remove her helmet, she had no intention of attacking her just yet. The woman intrigued her, and she wanted to get a good look at the person she would be pounding into the dirt. At the very least, Apophe wanted to know the person who had the stones to insult her and her people to her face. It was incredibly brave. Stupid, but very, very brave.

The men behind her clamoured, wondering what, exactly, the Imperatrix had in mind. Many were unhappy at being forced to wait to fight, and had begun rattling their swords and biting the rims of the shields. A few had worked themselves up into such a frenzy that they were now foaming at the mouth and growling as if they were wild animals. This was typical for the Yahm, who had a long tradition of berserking, although the effect was just as likey to be confounding to the enemy as it was intimidating.

 

[SpookySkeleton]

This. This shit right here. This is why Lazzis could never be a leader like her sister. Word games and prodding insults and patience. Oh gods, the patience. Maybe it was why her father never favored her, and she was thankful for that, not resentful. This prattling had her jerking and fidgeting. Her posture was gone now, her legs bent and tense and her weapon in her hands, shaking as she held back the rage of battle she was waiting on unleash.

She was Yahm! She was fury! But she was also loyal, as were they all. Steel rattled as the men whipped themselves into a frenzy, and she was right there with them. But they were loyal. Apophe would lead, and it was her sister's command that would break the dam and send forward the tide. This nothing woman on this nothing planet with her nothing people, dare insult them. She wanted to hand her the heads of her people. The insults only fueled Lazzis, the rage coursing through her limbs. But... she was loyal. She would let the Imperatrix have her fun, and maybe Lazz wouldn't even get to fight today. A sad thing to be sure, but she could shove her fingers into someone's eye sockets another time.

She spat, still just listening to the two women have their pissing contest. "I hope you know what you're doing, sister." she mumbled, just barely loud enough for anyone near her (and maybe with some luck her sister) to hear. "I hope she's pretty boys. With some luck, we can keep her stupid, self-righteous head as a trophy. If not, I call dibs on the teeth." Lazz growled through clenched teeth to the men around her and behind Apophe, practically grinding her teeth as she did so. She could almost guess this woman's come back, she thought. Something overly wordy and with forced wit. If Apophe didn't just hurry the hell up and gut this bitch...

 

[Baobhan]

'Let your plans be dark and impenetraby as night
and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.'​

... Eris watched as the woman moved closer and closer to her, a giantess to be sure, so much so that even Eris' honor guard were dissuaded by the thought of combat with such a creature. However, their leader stood her ground as the Imperatrix boasted her size and supposed superiority, the grandstanding was getting a little much, but battles were won and lost in the mind long before they were tested in the battlefield. Eris learned this the hard way, fear was a toxin, and should these barbarians manage to infest her forces with fear, then they had absolutely no chance against these relentless foes. Face to face, Eris would remove her helmet allowing it to fall unceremoniously to the ground, revealing a pale complexioned battle-scarred woman with fair yet rounded features. Short platinum hair falling to the back of her neck with it shaved on the one side. Religios branding upon a single one of her cheeks had been etched into a complex sigil that marked her position to her people.

...
​

“Stones? Glass houses? I never said it would be those men who would stop you... Or are you as simple as you are tall? I am standing right here, for all to see. ” Eris would pull the trigger on her blade, the chromatic vibroblade roaring to life as the fine edge heated to a brilliant white. Angling the weapon outward and away from her body, she would be poised to strike at the invaders should she need to, her eyes would stare upwards, watching her shoulders and keeping en eye on the woman in her peripherals ready for a sudden explosion of movement. Eris' eyes caught the light of her blade, almost seeming bio-luminescent and divine in that very instance, she would not be moved. “Those guns mean nothing to me while you are this close Imperatrix Apophe... So... do you like my eyes?”

...
​

... Eris would not be the fool who would await for her enemy to attack first, the imperatrix had made her intentions clear, and as brave as she was, she was smart enough to know that those massive guns would not be firing on her and the leader, they would be firing upon her men who hung further back. Gripping her blade tightly in one hand, she would sweep it upward for the left hip of the imperatrix on an upward angle, pressed to exit just under her adjacent rib-cage with the express intent of cleaving the aggressor in twine with the single blow. A cut for the mid-section at this range would make it difficult to retreat backward from, and her height and the speed of the strike would make it nigh impossible to duck or vault the blow. Eris knew that her opponent's best option was to come forward and engage the blow directly, she doubted the blade could hew her cybernetics in a single blow, but should she use them to block, she could deal some damage. And so, her left-hand lay ready and waiting. Her fleet feet leaning forward into the blow, giving her force, as her tactical mind awaited the chance to abort the action at a moments notice. Truth be told she had no clue on how fast the cybernetic woman was, while Eris' own speed and strength were augmented by her cybernetics, she was far from superhuman, and Aphophe came from a sector of the galaxy where technology was far grander than what they had to offer here.

So it was the battle began.
​

... As soon as Eris swung, her men would leap into action, many of them breaking cover and charging for the men behind the Imperatrix herself, the several dozen fully armoured soldiers opening up on the enemy forces with their blasters as they hoped the close the gap. Few however remained in cover, using the opportunity to take much more careful ranged aim at their enemies, and pick off those stragglers who would reveal their backs during the ensuing combat. The roar of high morale, the crushing of ground under foot, the hum of blaster bolts filling the air with a cacophany of sound and colour. This was battle at its finest, and Eris was not about to let heresy stand in the way of her crusade across the stars!

That ship would be hers...​

 

[Retroboy]

Oh, she's cute! Apophe thought.

So this was the leader of this band of backwards yokels. Apophe had expected many things, but not youth. Despite her own age, she usually found that elders were exactly that, elders. Yet this woman was young like her. It was no matter, really, just a point of interest for her, but it did tell her one thing: she was probably competent. No one rose to the rank of leader at a young age, at least not in places that actually had values worth a single damn, without having some skill. Not unless they were going to be replaced in very short order.

Apophe didn't have much time to muse before the woman made her attack. Now, things were to fall into instinct. She stepped into the blow, moving her hand to grip the other woman's forearm before pivoting rapidly to use Eris' momentum against her to yank her forward and hopefully throw her into the dirt. Her own posture was rigid and her stance wide to give her more balance.

The Void Serpents, in turn responded quickly. A cascade of laser fire ripped into the forest for only a few seconds, but enough to do damage. Then, the Void Serpents charged. An awful din filled the air, a terrible war-call practiced by the Yahm to demoralize their enemies. The sound was so awful and booming that it could be scarcely believed it came from the throats of humans, a harsh bark that the warriors repeated over and over from spittle flecked lips as they threw themselves into the enemy, hewing and cutting at whatever they could get close enough to hurt. War was a chaotic affair for the Yahm, and they feared no death, so as they threw themselves forward they paid no mind to falling brethren.

From the ship, the war-callers of the Void Serpents began their chant, pounding staves on the ground to give themselves a rhythm.

"We break the chain
We free the blood
We call up Hell
We eat the sun
We break the chain
We free the blood
We call up Hell
We eat the Sun
WE BREAK THE CHAIN..."

 

[Baobhan]

'And fall they did...'​

... The exchange would be quick, but to Eris' fervorous mind, it would be over before it started. With both herself and her opponent stepping into one another they would meet in the middle. Eris' still outstretched arm at her right moving in for impact as she was sure with the Imperatrix's movement alone, she would not be able to land the blow. But, this was where her plan crept into play... Eris' left hand, normally intent on holding her shield, coiled within it, its lethally nasty surprise. While her adversary hoped to clutch onto her sword arm with her terrifying grip, fractions of seconds before hand, her left arm would shoot out at point blanc range, bridging the much smaller gap between her shoulder and her opponent's stomach area... The quick at this range against her opponent's heavy body would be far too quick to step to either side or reduce her speed enough to reverse. As well as any increase in speed would only have Eris' hand reach sooner. Apophe, as the Palatine saw it, was trapped. The pressure plate on her hand, should the simple thrust and grab succeed, would trigger, sparking as it would freely flow hundreds of thousands of volts as well as a single amp of electrical power into the armour of her opponent, attempting to light Apophe up like a candle and hold the hand there to continuously deliver the damage to her towering adversary.

The smirk Eris wore would broaden...​

... Should the blow be successful and be sustained for any longer than a few passing moments, Eris would relish in the scent of burning flesh should it be present. Unfortunate as it was that Eris was not able to land the blow on a far more vital location like the upper chest or the head, where the voltage of her hand placed directly to one of the locations would happily stop the heart or cause severe damage to the nervous system of the brain, much like the direct current of an electric chair as the electricity would flow through the head in an attempt to exit to the ground through their feet. Sadly, with the current running through her armour, and not direct skin to skin contact, the various metals would likely act like a steel cage. Bolts of lightning on contact with her skin or at random would jump to her and flow through her body in painful bursts, potentially charring her flesh and burning it painfully, but nothing compared to the internal damage she would receive should she have been unprotected.

But there was time for that later.​

... Eris hoped that Aphphe's men would see her in this state, hoping that their Imperatrix would fall to her knees before her people's Palatine, weakened and defeated. though no doubt she would hold her head high, as much as Eris would pain to admit it, the fact their leader fought on the front-lines with her men was a noble act, to be sure. If not a tad overzealous. In this mental world of assured victory, Eris would look to those around her as she would deliver a final stroke with her blade and sever the head of the Heretic who hoped to plunder their lands of their wealth and prosperity... But to dream so far ahead was a wishful sight, held in high regard only by philosophers and blind idealists... Much like Eris' brother, wherever he may be.

Time would tell of the success of the blow and where the two of them would fall, as the heavens buckled under the sound of thunder, rain-clouds hanging above them all began to release their payload drop by drop as the intensity would slowly increase. The shadows at their feet vanishing from sight other than from the dancing images lit up by the likes of plasmic projectiles and the shining luminescence of the Zealot force's blades... Their men had lost a few in the counter-charge of the enemy, but Eris' honorguard had not had their morale shaken by bursts of their ship canons, nor had they been decimated by a full powered charge of the berserkers' forces. Standing their ground against their stronger and better equipped aggressors, the tables of the battle looked as though they could turn at but a moment should they be allowed to, as if this conflict rested on the shoulders of not the men, but the leaders of them.

Balancing on the scales of fate, which fighter would tip fortunes favor?​

 

[Retroboy]

Apophe took the hit, not expecting much from such a blow. Then, the electricity started. Pain ran through her body in intense bursts, and she had to retract her tongue so that she didn't end up biting it off. The agony was intense, but was not the worst that Apophe had ever faced, though it certainly ranked up there. The pain quickly translated into adrenaline, and she felt her body through itself into overdrive. She would not be beaten. She was Apophe KeYahm, Imperatrix of the Void Serpents, and she would win.

The war-chant echoed in her head as she threw herself forward, pressing against the punch as she connected her metal portions to the source of her pain. In short, she completed the circuit, returning the energy to its source. A psychotic grin crossed her face as she met Eris' eyes, staring her down. Then, there was an eruption of light and Apophe found herself thrown back, much like her opponent, skidding along the dirt.

Smoke rose from Apophe like steam off of hot broth, and she took a second to breathe before a giggle rose in her throat. It turned into a laugh, and crazed look she had given Eris had become even more manic. She could feel her skin burning, and yet she felt amazing. The adrenaline coursing through her, the pain, the realization that she was fighting an equal, it was absolute and complete ecstasy. She could not possibly have been happier than at that moment. This was what fights were meant to be.

"That was nice," she said breathily, her eyes never leaving her opponent. "Very nice."

Regardless of how Apophe felt, she knew she could not allow her opponent to regain the initiative. Not when Eris had tricks like that up her sleeve. It was now up to her to get in there and dismantle any sort of defense Eris could set up, and that meant moving quickly and decisively. She threw herself forward, making it look as though she was going for a tackle, before suddenly using her momentum to throw both her legs up into a kick aimed directly for the top of Eris' chest, so as to throw her off balance.

The Void Serpents, for their part, continued to fight. Upon seeing that their enemies were equally matched, some began to concentrate their strength on the centre, trying to move to break on through and then encircle the enemy. Death was preferable to failing their Imperatrix.

 

[SpookySkeleton]

Lazzis was sprinting before Eris' cut had even reached half way, The Force pumping through her legs as she surged forward, her axe held at about it's mid point in her right hand, the blade behind her as she left her feet. It wasn't the the grandest of Force jumps, more a glorified lunge with some height, but it gave her a sudden extra 10 yards or so. Luckily, that was all she needed. Eris' men should have stayed put, in cover and at distance. Rushing forward into the jaws of the Yahm was exactly what the berserkers wanted. She didn't realize it, but she was screaming at the top of her lungs while in the air. A deep, bloody yell, sounding closer to some sort of angered animal than a sentient person. Battle was what she had been raised for, and she had always found joy in it. Like some sort of sick conditioning experiment, Koatel had only ever given her rewards after successful fights. Back then, however, things were bitter sweet, no matter the reward. She knew she was a tool. Now, though... now she was loyal. Apophe gave her choice, and Lazzis made the choice to stay at her sisters side, and to destroy. Battle was different now. More like a drug. Nothing bitter, just sweetness. Sweat pouring over her skin gave her goosebumps, the sounds of melee made her legs shudder, and adrenaline lit her senses on fire in a way she couldn't describe without a room full of alcohol and people who got paid to be attractive. Someone looking at her would be hard to tell if the look on her face was one of ferocity or perversion.

Either way, it was far too predatory to take likely. The poor man in front of her, eyes wide as he realized what was about to happen, made sure not to make that exact mistake. His folly lied in another area: his aim. The blast he fired just before Lazzis plowed into him, ramming her body into his, connected, but not significantly. A plate flew off of her left shoulder, dangerously close to actually taking off a finger from her extended left hand. That very hand latched onto his face, driving him backwards and down with her momentum driving them both. She mounted him quickly, pinning his arm with the weapon under a heavily weighted knee. She, however, was not looking at him. Behind him, another man had emerged from the jungle. Her right hand, with Force augmented strength, spun her axe forward and up, perpendicular with her body, and threw it with preternatural strength like an over-sized javelin. She didn't bother to look to see if it had hit, she knew her aim was true. Her attention had turned to the thing below her. Thing, because people were living. Corpses were merely things. She spread her fingers a bit so he could see her face, her jaw clenched and spittle flying from her lips as she breathed through bared teeth. She put all her weight onto her left hand, leaning into the mans face and ignoring his muffled screams. Then... she pushed. The Force spread forward from her hand, concentrated and dense. With nowhere to go, his head imploded. Bits of the viscera splashed onto her hand and arms, with a few specks on her legs. She felt him go limp under her, his struggle ended. If he had been Yahm, she would wish him well, for his death was brave and in battle. He did not run, and he did not beg. A warriors death. But... he was not Yahm. Now he was just a thing, just a corpse.

The smell of blood hit her quickly, rich and thick. Lazzis stood, closing her eyes for a second and breathing heavily. She was somewhere between euphoria and insanity right now, and she loved every damned second of it. She would remember this kill. Perhaps this would be a new tattoo. She would ask her sister and the others, this may just have been worth remembering. It sure felt that damned good. She raised her bloody left arm in the air, fist clenched and covered in gore. "YAHM! Bring me their fucking heads!" she screamed, before bending over and grabbing the mans blaster in her right, and stalking forward to grab her axe.

 

[Baobhan]

'But thunder never strikes the same place twice.'​

... As the rain-drops began to fall, those few which landed on the armour of Eris' opponent would sizzle and evaporate instantly to whence they came. Eris could not help but wonder in that single solitary moment if they would rain again should they reach the clouds that spawned them, or if they would wait for the next coming storm... pressing against her enemy, Eris had sworn she had, had the upper hand, but the cruel resolve of her enemy was something that she had underestimated, it had seemed. With a sudden lurch her expansive opponent touched her clawed arm to Eris' armour, within moments, the electrical feed-back of the circuit let out a near blinding flash, shielded by Eris' helmet as she was launched backwards, unable to keep her feet as she would fall, hit the earth, roll backward and recover, drawing her shield from her back as she did so and raising it defensively as she would face her enemy once more. Raising from one knee like the firebird from the ashes, the electrical loop it seemed had short circuited the battery in her left arm, requiring repair... While not a loss, it would inhibit some of her versatility in the battle to come.

Eris smiled sincerely at the praise which came from her opponent, it seemed that she had met her approval and was happy to do so. Through flames Eris and her men had been tempered into weapons in service of the Outsider, to see that they had sharpened enough to battle the forces of the greater galaxy was more than a boon, it was evidence of providence. Though the battle was far from its end. Widening her lips to speak Eris would state with some level of confidence. “Those of my Order are trained to combat the end of the world... Should you have but wished it, you could be so much more than you are... pity.”

That momentary look of sorrow would speak volumes to a warrior.​

... However, as quickly as the time for talk came, it fled, as her opponent would charge her down, choosing to stand her ground in an attempt to counter the oncoming strike, Eris would brace herself, shield at the ready for the short moment it would take for Aphophe to bridge the gap between the two of them. Moving with a swiftness even Eris had not expected, in a flash, her opponent was airborne. Eris knew how to counter the attack, she could feel the spiritual incarnation of herself, part from her body, side-stepping the blow as with a brief flick of her heated blade she would have allowed her opponent to hit the ground in two pieces instead of one. Yet, something distracted her for that moment, whether it was a vision, a calling, or simply a feeling, Eris needed to take this attack. Holding her ground and raising her shield to the intended trajectory of her legs, the strength of the blow and the talons on her cybernetic limbs would carve ever so slightly into the shield as Eris would be sent reeling backward. Even in full brace the force of the entire giant womans' body thrown into that strike launched Eris from her feet to hit the ground, rolling over her shoulder and raise back up again. Should Eris' bones have been of calcium and cartelage, she would have been nursing a destroyed shoulder joint, although pain seared through the impacted area, Eris was intact.

This was the second time she'd hit the ground... there would not be a third.​

... As soon as she had regained her footing, Eris would charge her opponent, confident that with her spry nature, smaller form and more dexterous fighting style, she would be able to catch Apophe before she had fully risen from the ground. Her shield had been compromised, the talons that had pierced holes within it due to her preturnatural strength would allow another blow to its surface to rip it apart without resistance. So there was only one course of action; candidly she cast it to a side, gripping her blade with her second hand and reinforcing her hold and doubling her strength with the weapon. Holding it at a down-ward angle to her right side, its tip nearling running along the earth she would move to side-step to the left of her opponent and bring her weapon up for the small of Apophe's back or the front of her stomache with another ascending strike, entering low and planning to exit just under her shoulder-blades should the blow land. The vibrating blade hummed as it swung toward her, rain that came near the glowing white edge hissed and evaporated long before it would come into contact.

But something had begun to happen, Eris was thinking too far ahead now, her mind was no longer in the fight, but what came after. This woman had some form of significance to her. Something was wrong... She could not be some mere pirate, not a woman as strong as this. Eris had fought pirates before, weak men and women whom used cowardly tactics to control the meek and plunder their life-sakes. This woman seemed to relish the challenge of combat, she'd appeared on a ship so grand that it could ferry Eris and her people, as well as likely as her own. This Imperatrix was not a conqueror summoned to plunder their land and take their cultural wealth...

“You're the liberator.” Eris would speak low enough with a questioning look in her eyes after the result of the attempted blow, be it in the stall between it and the next, or after an intended clash. Though clouded as her mind was she was not entirely unprepared, however, now, more than ever, her reaction speed had surely slowed.

...​

... Meanwhile but meters away as Lazzis Tackled one of the Venerable Honor Guard of Eris and hurled her axe at the torso of another charging veteran. She had underestimated the skill of the warriors that she had fought. Trained under the direct tutelage of Eris herself and her master, while one had been tackled, the other, eyes wide and his body and mind sharpened, he would fail to freeze at the incoming axe. Instead, he would throw his weight backwards, sliding as the Axe would soar over-top of his head by inches. Tucking his weight in he would roll, loosing little momentum as he would again be at his feet, sprinting for his comrade as his vicious enemy would wrap her arms around the helmet-less soldier's head and beginning to apply pressure. The downed Veteran would not simply relent, his hands clutching and failing in an attempt to pry off her grip with whatever he had. Under the cover of those still behind him, the charging soldier, moments before the sound of cracking bone could fill the air, would plant his foot to one side of the confrontation, using his opponents position in leaning over the prone soldier to attempt to deliver a knee to the bridge of Lazzis' nose with shattering force, capable of obliterating the cartilage bridge of the nose itself.

Lazzis was certainly stronger than any one of these men, but they would not simply lay down and die.​

 

[Retroboy]

Apophe rolled as she was flung back by the shield, trying to get to her feet as quick as possible. Still, as Eris charged her, Apophe knew she wasn't going to be able to get up in time. She saw the move of the sword against her, and while she would have liked to attack back, she instead rolled to the right, taking the time to get back to her feet as she did so. She continued to grin, a bead of sweat running down her temple as she moved to sweep Eris' feet out from under her.

But what Eris had to say confused her. "That is one of my titles, yeah," she said, easing up on her offensive a little. How was it that someone from out on Zakuul knew about that? While she liked the stroke to her ego, it seemed strange to her that anyone but her own subjects and maybe some of the people she had raided would know that one of her titles was Liberator of the People. Perhaps the lady was just crazy? Who knew.

Still, it didn't matter much to Apophe. She liked the good fight and Hell, she liked Eris too. Maybe, if she was lucky she could end this fight without killing her, maybe induct her and her people into the Serpents. It worked for the Free, why not these people? She'd have to see more them fighting for sure, but if this was the standard they fought to, she would have no problem welcoming them among their ranks. Judging by their reactions to the fight, she didn't imagine the Serpents would have any problems with it either.

Apophe's warriors continued their onslaught against the honour guard, still pushing at the centre of them. The more clear among them had come to appreciate these cultists for their tenacity, relishing a good fight. They called out their compliments to their opponents even as they attacked them, some even smiling with good humour as blows came to their shields and their brothers. The truly battle-mad berserkers only cared to keep on killing, however, still frothing and howling. The battle-chant of the Yahm continued to drone on in the background, the chanters taking the moment between beats to drink some water before continuing.

A few noticed that some had come to blows with their princess, and called out their support for Lazzis as she continued to fight. "Go on! Kick'is teeth in!" one called as he swung his axe at the face of an opponent.

@Baobhan
@SpookySkeleton

 

[SpookySkeleton]

In the midst of the revelry of her bloody kill, Lazzis caught the sight of the man coming for her at the last moment. Huh. Apparently luck was on someone's side. He was too close to dodge, too close to really block either. This boy was truckin' at her... so, she did the most Yahm thing she could think of. She turned just enough to face him, roaring incoherently as she did. She was fairly certain that, in her screaming roar, she had questioned his mothers love for Ewoks and called his overly touchy love for trees into question. Then, strengthening her body with The Force, she brought her helmeted head crashing into this dudes knee. She heard an audible crunch as the metal on her forehead connected with the mans flying knee, but exactly whose bone relented she couldn't immediately be sure. The force sent her back, sprawling to the ground, which she rolled through finished in a kneeling position. Her helmet had been knocked off, and a cut on the left side of her head bleed lightly. Part of the ornamentation must have caught her as it was force off of her head... No matter. She was whole otherwise, though thoroughly impressed at the tenacity of the man who attacked her. She immediately regretted that she was going to have to kill him, she would have preferred to take such an excellent specimen.

He, however, didn't fare as well as she did. Sitting on one knee, the other was outstretched and bent at an awful angle. Her helmet lay nearby, a bit of cloth from him still stuck to the ugly ass piece of protective metal. To his credit, he didn't spend long letting the pain of his ruined joint get to him. He grabbed the blaster of his fallen ally nearby, bringing it to his shoulder and scanning around quickly for Lazzis. She, however, was quicker. Just as he brought the gun up and sighted down, he was only able to see her own knee coming for him in a sprint. The blaster took her knee instead of him, flying from his hands and over his shoulder, skittering on the ground. She tumbled on top of him, mounting him like she had the previous opponent. She couldn't pin this ones arms, though. He was doing his best to defend from her heavily armored fists, raining down blow after blow at his face, neck, and chest. He struggled, blocking what he could, but the jagged armor of her fists and immense strength was taking its toll on his arms. He even got a few licks in, splitting her right cheek and lip with well timed counter attacks. But Lazzis was too strong, too high from the berserker rage, and she was backed by The Force.

It didn't take long for the struggle to turn into something else. Wet, sick sounds as the brave zealot's arms went limp, and blood sprayed as his head soon resembled the first man she took out. She stood, wild eyed and panting, scanning the battle field. To her left, a Yahm warrior was missing most of his arm from the elbow down. It didn't stop him. He was slashing incoherently at a body... she was pretty sure it was an enemies. Ahead of her, she saw the blaster rifle. A couple dozen yards beyond that, her axe. Sprinting towards her weapon, she bent and grabbed the ranged weapon on her way there.

 

[Baobhan]

'Hell frozen rain fell down...'​

... The battle that surrounded everyone had turned into chaos, the notable force user within the ranks of the melee had pushed the advantage of the small skirmish into the favor of the attackers just enough to begin to spin out of control for even Eris' honor-guard. While there were a few men who were holding their worth, this was a company that bore not the likes of a chaplain within its ranks to bolster their spirit as they were fighting in the shadow of a giant war-ship from outside their known reach. It was enough to burden the spirits of any fighter, these men and women fought like monsters with the combat drugs they were on, the chanting of their people behind them... but the battle seemed to be close, as five men fell on one side, four would fall on the other, as bit by bit the advantage would creep up on the likes of the honor guard who would begin to fight more carefully and as a more cohesive and solidified team. Allowing one fighter to attempt to take the honor of fighting two opponents, the additional fighter would pull back to reinforce a comrade in a hope that their team-work would overcome the singular might of their foes, while their dexterity and more versatile equipment would hopefully stall those at a disadvantage what little amount they could before help would be on the way. These berserkers were an army of individuals, brawlers of considerable skill...

but could they fight as one?​

... As soon as the tactic was called, the structure of the combat would change, those few who had remained back to fire their primitive blasters at stragglers who had picked off their opponents, would draw their blades and flood the field as a small second wave, while it seemed that all, if not most of the enemy contingent had charged to meet Eris' Honor-guard. The secondary charge against a still opponent in the center of a combat would be effective, and with the new tactics in play, the Honor-guard would begin teaming up to prioritize threats on the battlefield... among the largest of them all, was Lazziz. So strong she had proven herself, it was not two Honor-guard soldiers that would face her down in the midst of this reinforcement. It was three. One would pull himself from a combat he was already in as a female among the group after plunging a blade through the knee of one of the Yahm, blasting him in the back as she stepped past, would turn to face her, cracks in her armour from the Yahms' devastating strikes, she having barely overcome her initial opponent. The third, would fly in with the charge with the opening strike, firing a grappling line at the ground past Lazziz, he would use the coiling function of the wire ro repel himself in with great speed with his sword in hand for her legs, as the others would await an attack of opportunity.

Now was the time to test ones mettle.​

... Eris however, was in the midst of a confusing stand off, her opponent had not attacked after rolling from her strike, the heated blade singing the air as water that met the blade hissed loudly. the strike was close, but her opponents reactions were trained. Looking over their shoulder, she could see the battle behind them, instantly she could see the secondary charge from the cover they had taken... it was a bold move, but it meant that those in combat needed the small reinforcement. It seemed combat there was getting dire, Eris doubted that she would be able to take the head of their commander before the battle of their forces had been lost, had the Legatines and the Chaplains had been here to back her forces up, rather than a small group of her honor-guard, perhaps the odds would stack in her favor. But this mission was a risky one, and it seemed trained as they all were, they still had much to learn about the nature of the galaxy around them... and Eris was sorely lacking in the department of a secondary commander to turn the tables on her opponents in this fight. All of this pointed to needing a faster solution, she had hit the mark on the head when she had called the woman out before her as a liberator of sorts... which gave Eris an idea.

“May I ask you but a single question? Are you satisfied with the fight myself and my people have given you?” Eris would await a reply, allowing the Imperatrix to think about her answer before Eris would move on. “I think I may have made a mistake, we had been of a mind to take your vessel, so that we could be free of this world to search the stars for something of great importance. It had not occured to me, that you had also perhaps come for us... Allow us to join you and your men... accept, and we could be partners, I will surrender and will happily aid you in your endeavors should they not conflict with my own... or, you could reject my offer, and we will fight you to the last man stands, in complete victory, or utter failure. You may well win, but you will lose many, many men. ”

... The spiritual leader of the order of the outsiders' eyes had turned to steel, she was banking a lot on this, lowing her guard as she talked and gesturing toward the conflict which still continued to rage against the chant of the men that stayed upon their ship. Eris was not so proud to abhor the idea of surrendering, but rather that she understood that the nature of the universe was at odds with reason. She could tell that the people whom she was fighting with, had far more of a culture than she had expected, the language they chanted in to bolster the morale of their forces, was almost spiritual. The fury they fought with and the uniformity they continued to do so, not as a single unit, but as an agreed upon premise of an army of individuals. There was far more here than any simple piracy, it seemed this once, the palatine had been wrong in surveying the situation before her. So it was that she would await, her heated weapon of steel and fury tipped downwards in her left hand, ready and waiting to bring it to the fold once more and fight with everything she had should she need to... her Heirophant would choose another palatine should she fall... there was no breaking the cycle of the order with but a single death.

Of that, she was certain.​

 

[Retroboy]

Apophe's gaze met Eris', and she regarded the woman, taking one last look at her. The proposal was one she was more than willing to accept - after all, Apophe was the one to accept the Free into the fold. That she could accept these new warriors amongst her ranks seemed to be just as good to her. Of course, there was the chance that this was a trick, but Apophe felt somehow, it wasn't. Besides, should the warriors decide to turn on her and her men while inside the ship, the result was inevitable: the enemy would be cut down and their remains jettisoned into the cold void of space. There was no alternative in her mind.

"Alright," Apophe said. "You can consider me int'rested."

She thought back to the general rules of the Yahm, and whether the more conservative amongst her tribe would approve. It didn't ultimately matter, since she was not just Queen of the Yahm, but Imperatrix of the Void Serpents, but in her heart Apophe still cared for the people that had birthed her and she knew that their traditions mattered to them, even if she did often find herself dispensing with them when she felt that they would hold her back in some way. In the end, she decided that the Yahm would accept it, if only based on the responses of the men and women under her command in their fight with the Zakuulians.

"Eris Morgana, right?" she asked, even though she knew the name. Her voice suddenly projected across the battlefield. "ENOUGH!" Suddenly, the Yahm ceased fighting, although they never ceased to defend themselves. "I want everyone to settle down. I've decided to parlay with Eris. For now, men, treat her as if she were my own sister and her men our men. That means no fighting."

Her eyes wandered back to Eris. "So, that covers that. I s'pose we should begin negotiating, hm?"

@SpookySkeleton
@Baobhan

 

[SpookySkeleton]

Lazzis gathered her axe just as she noticed the new group charging her. She sighed, consciously working to steady her breathing as she faced down the new foes. This was a good fight! These were strong warriors, worthy of their deaths. "Come!" the Princess yelled, challenging her foes. "Come find your afterlife!" she roared, dropping her ax just to her right and kneeling, taking up the blast in both hands. She took quick aim, firing shots at the woman among the charging foes, seeing her as the greatest immediate threat, as she still had her blaster out. Lazzis wasn't the best shot in the world, and her hurried fire didn't help either. Her first shot missed, just wide, but enough to stumble the Honor Guard fighter for only a moment, as she brought up her own weapon to return fire. Lazzis's second shot would have rang true if the zealot girl hadn't brought up her own weapon, the bolt striking the Zakuulian's blaster and sending it flying. A third was low, but not entirely off point. It struck her left knee, sending the injured girl into a tumbling mess of pain, neutralized from the fight for now. She sighted down again to switch targets, but the others were close now.

The cord firing just past her caught her off guard, she turned to see what the hell it was. She turned back just in time to see the man flying towards her far faster than he should have been, pulled by the cable. She reacted on trained instinct, instantly pushing with her legs to dash backwards from her kneeling position. As she did, she grabbed her axe from further down the shaft than normal, hurriedly bringing it in front of her. Just before the daring guard smashing into her, her weapon found its way between them, its range trumping his own. The force of the impact sent the axe through his armor and into the meaty bits underneath, but it also jolted it from Lazzis' hand as the line pulled him into her. She and the freshly dead guy rolled in a mass of blood and limbs for a few yards before coming to a stop, Lazzis looking up just as the final guy was upon her. She started to spring towards him, The Force surging through her limbs, when she heard Apophe call things off. She growled, disappointed, before raising a hand in front of her. The Honor Guard was swinging downward, nearly striking him with his blade, before he was violently pushed back by a surge of Force square to his chest about 20 feet, sliding in the dirt. Painful, but most assuredly not lethal.

She turned her head to her sister, assuming the enemy leader was dead. She was rather disappointed to find out she was not.

@Baobhan