Ask If You Don't Keep Your Feet

[Varyn Atrix]

Vandelhelm was one of those worlds that most people hadn't ever heard of before. It had a small population compared to most of the megametropolises of the Core, but that wasn't to say that it was without value. The planet was a heavy mining planet with capable shipwrights that could bring value to the Empire.

That was why the Empire was here today.

Master Allepo had allowed his troops to be used for the operation, and under his authority - provisionally given to the Champion - Varyn had prepared for the invasion. Of course, this was all Vahliri's fault, really, so Varyn had of course ensured she was going to be coming along as well. It hadn't taken much convincing except promise of support during her next attack as well. He wondered silently to himself if that would be a mistake.

The Pilum-Class Heavy Cruiser dropped out of hyperspace and its handful of lighter support ships dropped out of hyperspace and came to a stop just above the planet's atmosphere.

There was a flurry of activity on the bridge as soldiers went to work, and Varyn took a stealing breath to himself. Dressed in his IAC armor with now not one, but two lightsabers hanging from his belt, he cleared his throat and gave the order.

Launch landing parties, he said. This was what he'd always imagined himself doing, just... not for the Sith. Against the Sith, he'd always thought. And yet here he was. Two sides to the same coin, he reminded himself.

He turned to Vahl and said in a quieter tone. Guess we're getting started. Taking the heads of the Metalsmith's Guild will be the most important part. With them in custody, we can get the rest of the planet to submit, he said. Of course, that would be the fight, but they had the better part of a Regiment at their command so it should be doable.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Truthfully, Vahliri had been somewhat surprised when Varyn asked for her help on this operation. While she knew the fellow Champion to work extensively with the IDF and military-branches of the Empire, it wasn’t often - if ever - that Varyn spearheaded such assaults by his own accord. Perhaps it was a sign that he had taken her words on Raxus to heart - and there wasn’t much convincing necessary before she agreed to accompany him to Vandelhelm.

The promise of help on her next assault - whether he came to regret it or not - was something she very much intended to take him up on.

As they traveled through Hyperspace, Vahliri couldn’t help but reflex on the conversation they had last had on Raxus. She understood his aversion to the more brutal aspects of the war, and while he had claimed that New Alderaan was different - that the massacre of the Jedi Temple was different.. Vahliri herself wasn’t entirely convinced of that herself, though it made little difference in the end. She couldn’t help but wonder just how ‘different’ Vandelhelm was going to be, or if he was built for the types of choices ahead.

As the Cruiser dropped out of hyperspace, Vahliri left her quarters and made her way towards the bridge - marching past a flurry of Imperial troopers and naval officers along the way. The air was scented with the signature notes of jasmine and citrus along the path she carved. As expected, she was dressed in her signature red-and-black Sith robes - the hems of her sleeves and hood trimmed with Ur-kittat script. The curved hilt of her first lightsaber hung at her hip, alongside the more recently-crafted shoto just opposite to it. Her black hair was tied back away from her face, braided intricately and left to flow down to the middle of her back.

The half-Annfyn often carried herself with an aura of authority - and that was never more on display than during an official campaign. Varyn would see it and recognize a very side of the woman than the one who had danced with him on Raxus. Her arrival on the bridge was heralded with a series of salutes from lower-ranking soldiers, and she wasted no time in striding to stand alongside Varyn as he gave the order to begin landing parties. "Var,"

“It won’t be easy,” She said with a nod, glancing to face Varyn when he spoke. “It’s almost a guarantee that the heads of prominent families and the Metalsmith’s Guild will go into lockdown the moment our troopers begin landing. If they haven’t already,” The half-Annfyn crossed her arms over her chest, gazing out the vast viewport and to the surface of the planet beyond.

“Undisclosed, secure bunkers,” She muttered quietly. “Likely nowhere near the primary offices of government.” Vahliri finally returned her gaze to Varyn, staring at him for a moment. “The planet will fall in line with their leaders in custody, but we’ll need to extract the information one way or another.”

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn could sense Vahliri approaching before she arrived on the bridge. Despite the notable shift in her demeanor and the way she carried herself, it was a relief to have her there. He knew - even if others didn't - that this was a significant event for him. A shift in loyalty and goals. He told himself that he wasn't betraying the Jedi, that the Jedi had failed the galaxy and he was just grasping onto the greatest hope for galactic prosperity. He still had his doubts, but he continued on the path nonetheless.

His hand tightened at his side.

We'll take the government buildings first anyway, he said. The interrogations will have to come later, he said, not even sure how that would look or work. He didn't want to think about it, either.

Bombers are already launching and the IAC's heading for the ground. Fighting will be thick, you ready? he asked. Secretly, he didn't like her being in the front lines, but there was no way he was going to voice that aloud. He was pretty sure she'd punch him for it, so he settled for the fact that they were working together and had one another's backs.

Down to the thickest, then he said, turning and heading toward the hangar bay. His hand tapped against the saber on his belt. It was the first time the two of them had really fought together, the tiny little skirmish on Korriban didn't really count as far as he was concerned.

You look nice, he said, not quite able to help himself despite the direness of the situation they were about to plunge into. Or maybe because of that. It was a distraction of sort... a beautiful, lovely smelling distraction of death.

 

[Darth Tempest]

For just a moment, Vahliri allowed her eyes to flutter closed. Darkness enveloped her vision and the half-Annfyn instead allowed her sensitive hearing to reign supreme, acutely picking up on every footsteps and barked command from nearby officers. For all the years she had served within the Empire, it was a cacophony of sound that was oddly familiar and routine - no different from parallel moments on New Alderaan, Eriadu and Ansion. More and more, she had grown used to these sorts of military assaults - and more desensitized to the necessary decisions that awaited them.

“Once we have officers and government buildings in our possession, it should not take us long to extract the necessary information.” She said, opening her eyes to glance over at Varyn. “I can see to that personally.” The half-Annfyn made no attempt to elaborate further and a part of her doubted that Varyn would want to hear any more about it.

“As if you even had to ask,” Vahliri said smoothly, a grin tugging at the corners of her lips. Whether he liked it or not, the half-Annfyn had defined her career through successful missions and planetary invasions - and each one of them brought her to the front lines of the fighting. Infiltration and long, tedious diplomacy wasn’t her style, and there was little that would convince her otherwise. Varyn was rather accurate in his internal assumption. In all likelihood, the half-Annfyn would have backhanded him for the suggestion and continued right along to the first shuttle destined for the surface.

She wasted absolutely no time - turning on the slight heel of her boots and proceeding to follow Varyn to the hanger. It was their first engagement together, and there was an almost eerie sense of calm as they approached the vessel that would bring them towards the fighting. She brought a hand up, idly tucking one of her braids behind her shoulder.

A clear smile brushed the half-Annfyn’s features when Varyn made his comment - catching her slightly off-guard. She glanced over in his direction, reciprocating the statement with a playful nudge with her shoulder. “So do you,” She said back, her gaze lingering on his own for a few moments. "As ever."

“I’m surprised you didn’t debut some new armor for the occasion,” While it was a routine invasion for most of the people above, Vahliri wasn’t ignorant to the significance of the day for Varyn.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn flexed his neck to the side and headed down to the hangar, climbing aboard the shuttle. He could feel an edge of anxiety in himself but also... excitement? He was sure that was wrong, but he couldn't deny that battle gave him a thrill like few other things. In fact, it was a thrill akin to those early days when he had entered the Sith, evading suspicion and constantly living in a state of slight fear. Yet now, here he was. Actually playing the role of a Sith and not just so that he could gain more information to feed back to the Jedi. So that he could acquire his own power.

He smirked as she complimented his armor and gave him a nudge, finding it a relief to be working together even now. Even the slightest graze and bump made his heart jump a little.

It's still under modification, he said, the first time he had mentioned the special project to anyone. If he was going to trade on his name and reputation, he needed to not look like one more of thousands of IAC troopers. New armor for a new person with a new identity, he thought to himself. The Jedi seemed... so far away already. It wasn't anger or malice he felt toward them, it was quite the opposite. They were - like the Sith - just made up of people.

The shuttle rocked and jolted as Varyn took hold of the handhold above him. With another lurch it launched from the hangar bay and tore down to the surface at suicidal speed.

Oh, he flies like you, he grumbled as they were nearly plastered against the side of another ship on its descent.

We'll be landing near the government building, my lords, the pilot said to the pair of Sith. And we'll be landing under fire so be ready, he warned.

True to his statement, the moment the dropship doors opened, Varyn could see blasterfire tearing across the sky between both sides. Smoke and fire filled the air outside, and the smell was unmistakable and familiar.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri arched a brow when Varyn confirmed that his new armor was still in development, glancing over to regard the fellow Champion for a long moment, “Oh?” She asked curiously. The half-Annfyn had sported her same red-and-black robes for much of her time within the Sith Empire, and they had largely become her signature through the invasions of New Alderaan and Eriadu. She didn’t press him on it much further - her gaze flicking forward as they stepped into the dropship to take them to the surface.

The half-Annfyn’s fingers curled tightly around the handlebar above her, managing to stay steady on her as the ship rocked violently, Her amber gaze flicked over to Varyn, narrowing ever-so-slightly at the snark regarding her own flying skills. “If you’d prefer to parachute to the surface, happy to throw out of the back,” She fired back, her heels digging a bit firmer into the ground as the vessel banked away from the flaming wreckage of a shot-down shuttle.

“Get us as close as you can,” She barked, voice cutting through the chaos. “I want a straight shot into securing the government centers. The sooner we do, the sooner we can provide relief to our troops.” There was something oddly familiar about the theatre of war, and Varyn would immediately see the shift in the half-Annfyn’s demeanor and the way she carried herself.

The curved hilt of Vahliri’s saber snapped into her hands, springing to life as the shuttle touched down onto the surface of Vandelhelm. She wasted no time in marching down the ramp - stepping down into the chaotic plaza that had been converted into the battlefield. TIE and Impetus fighters streaked across the sky in pursuit of Vandelhelm-loyal fighters. Imperial troopers had already landed nearby, exchanging fire with a regiment of royal guards taking cover behind a series of makeshift barricades.

“Stay close,” Vahliri said towards Varyn before marching forward, her saber moving into a forward guard. Her destination was obvious - every step carrying the half-Annfyn towards the Government building at the heart of the plaza. Crimson plasma carved with elegant strokes, deflecting a few stray blaster bolts and sending them whizzing back to their source. "We need to clear a path inside!"

The Force billowed forth from the half-Annfyn’s palms - tendrils of energy coiling around a nearby chunk of duracrete debris that littered the ground. With a violent yank of her arm, Vahliri sent the boulder hurtling right towards some of the entrenched Royal Guards - attempting to either draw them from behind cover or pummel them with several hundred pounds of rock.

She didn’t care either way.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

We're Sith, we don't need parachutes. Didn't you see Darth Andruil fight Preef Callo and yeet herself out of a skyscraper? he quipped back, finding a surprising amount of enjoyment in their little verbal joust.

Of course, it was cut short when the ship set down, and Varyn's mind transitioned. It transitioned into something very different from his usual self as he opened himself to the Force. More surprisingly, he opened himself to the fear and the death that plagued this place, letting it grow inside of him until it built into an anger. Anger that he couldn't save his men, anger at the idea of being cut down, and anger at the thought of one of these men hurting Vahl.

The moment his boots hit the ground from the dropship, both lightsabers crackled to life, a stark contrast to his jet black armor.

She told him to stay close, buuuut he wasn't that much better at taking orders than she was. Instead, as she sent her stone hurtling, he lunged forward, following just on the heels of the stone as men began to scatter away from it. They were in stark contrast to one another and yet they complimented each other perfectly. She focused on the Force, sending her chunks of stone and scattering their formations while he closed in, sabers whirling in a dance of death that exploited the gasp in their formation.

His sabers swept around and with each movement there was either a deflection or an attack.

He could make out a heavy repeater now set up on the second level of the government building as it began to rain fire down on their troops.

Vahl, hit it with something! he shouted, leaping up onto the top of a speeder to draw its fire... that may not have been wise. It opened up and the bolts absolutely tore through everything in their path, punching holes in metal and duracrete alike. And the rate of fire was far too high for him to deflect, leaving him only his agility and ability to dodge as a defense.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri couldn’t help but clench her teeth in frustration - watching as Varyn proceeded to do the exact opposite of what she told him. While the half-Annfyn wasn’t surprised, she had hoped to keep tighter formations and be able to move in closer step with the fellow Champion. All the same, Vahliri didn’t spare it another thought beyond that - confident that Varyn could handle himself on the battlefield. She watched with sinister satisfaction as the telekinetic-sent boulder found its mark - blasting right through the makeshift fortification and sending the troopers running.

The corpse of a single unfortunate individual was crushed beneath the rubble, and his comrade immediately attempted to avenge his death - unleashing a hail of blaster fire on Vahliri.

Without a moment of hesitation, the half-Annfyn darted northeast - the Force billowing through her extremities to increase her own speed. Bolts of plasma sailed past her, while a few others were promptly deflected back by the swift movement of her saber. Her gaze snapped towards a Royal guard closest to her - electro-staff tipped forward as he charged. Vahliri promptly shifted her stance accordingly - pivoting to the right and moving into his flank as he charged. Her saber moved in a clean motion - carving right through the soldier’s ribcage.

It wasn’t until Varyn spoke that her gaze snapped back, catching sight of the repeater and the fellow Champion deliberately making himself a target. “What the fuck are you doing?!” She hissed. The half-Annfyn abruptly shifted her trajectory and began to sprint towards the repeater - the hilt of her shoto snapping into her free hand. With a push of the Force, Vahliri sent the saber spinning like a buzzsaw through the air - rapidly sailing towards the heavy weaponry. The plasma blade sliced right through the barrel of the repeater to disable it.

The shoto continued its trajectory before gradually starting to arc backwards, traveling to return to Vahliri. The half-Annfyn, all the while, kept her pace advancing on the government center.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn hated everytime someone shot at Vahliri, but naturally thought nothing of throwing himself directly into the line of fire. Hypocrisy had no part in his mind at all, it was simply the way things were in his mind.

He came dangerously close to being shot, too, as the repeater tore through the permacrete around him and he could only barely stay ahead of it. Suffice it to say, he was thankful when Vahliri cut through the cannons that were raining plasma on him, giving him the moment he needed to breathe and evaluate their situation.

Vahl was, of course, just pressing on forward because what else would she be doing at this point? For his part, he raised his comlink and began distributing orders.

Echo company squads 3 and 4, flank to the right and put a base of fire on target. Alpha squadron, we need fire support on previously established targets gamma and epsilon. Fire for effect! he ordered. Within thirty seconds, fighters and bombers streaked overhead, dropping bombs and torpedoes onto the streets ahead, leveling the wall of soldiers who had been there a moment ago.

The ground shook and the boom of the detonation could be felt in his bones, and a billow of smoke shot like tongues of fire into the air. But as the smoke began to clear, there was a clear path into the government center ahead.

Troopers, push in! Vahl, come here! he shouted over the chaos of the battle, motioning for her to follow him and then motioning again toward a small hole to their right, almost unnoticeable.

I think this hole our artillery blew is a tunnel leading into the building, he said, meaning they could bypass the majority of the defenses if they were lucky.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Naturally, Vahliri had only a singular target in her mind. The battle would continue to rage on endlessly until they had reached their objective and had planetary leaders in custody, and it meant that the half-Annfyn wasted no time in attempting to further that goal. Long, graceful strides carried her across the open plaza - weaving between the hail of blaster fire that streaked through the sky and was exchanged between opposing ground troops. Practiced movements of her saber sent a handful of those plasma bolts zipping back in the direction they had come - just barely slowing Vahliri in her forward march.

While Varyn might’ve hated it, Vahliri had no qualms about making herself a target and fighting where the chaos was thickest.

The Force flowed through the half-Annfyn’s fingertips and extended outwards - coiling tightly around the fallen body of a Vandelhelm Royal Guard. She tore her arm to the left - standing his corpse hurtling like a weighted projectile to slam into another man attempting to take pot shots at her. It was only then - after the man had been knocked into the dirt - that Vahliri glanced back in the direction Varyn was shouting from. She wasted no time in making up the grand staircase of the government building - veering off to where artillery had blasted a small entrance into the facility. "You alright?" She asked, quickly eyeing him for any injuries.

“Only one way to find out,” She flashed him a grin, proceeding to step through the opening in front - saber immediately moving into a defensive guard across her chest. “Ladies first,”

As they entered the passageway, Vahliri extended her left hand - conjuring forth a globe of Pyrokinesis in her left hand, illuminating the dimly-lit halfways that strolled down. It was clear that power had been lost to that wing of the facility, likely a result of the heavy bombardment the planet was under. “Where even are we?” She asked after a long moment, glancing around for any signs or indicators along the wall. “Basement level, maybe?” Vahliri glanced back at Varyn, eyeing the fellow Champion for a long moment.

As they approached the end of the hallway, however, Vahliri briefly paused in her tracks - extending an arm out to her left to stop Varyn as well. Her fluted ears picked up on the sound of movement just up ahead - echoing far more pronounced within the duracrete-walled boundaries of the basement level. She slowly inched towards the chamber just up ahead, peaking around the corner to spot a small contingent of Royal troopers, gathered at the base of a stairwell leading to the lobby floor. Each was heavily armed and carried repeaters under their arms, and it was clear they were preparing to make their ascent upwards - likely to flank and ambush the Sith troopers.

Upon second observation, both would be able to see a separate path that carved away from the enemy troopers and continued deeper into the building. They had the option to leave their troopers to handle the ambush themselves and continue on to their objective, or to intervene and risk taking the men on themselves.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Yeah, I'm good! he replied to her quickly. He could already tell she was fine. Call it his intuition in the Force or the way she relentlessly moved in the fighting, he just knew. He knew that it would take a lot more than a handful of regular troopers to bring her down, and he realized... he liked that. It was the same fierceness he'd told her about on their date.

He dropped in as well, using his sabers to light his path as she used the fire in her hand. Yeah, basement levels. It's probably how they move the VIPs in and out. Can't be moving them in public because of assassins, he said quietly, eyes sweeping over the area. It was mostly duracrete and metal, nothing fancy or ornate at all.

They came to a stop at a break in the path and he could see the soldiers preparing for the advance to the surface. His sabers flashed out as soon as he sensed someone else, and crouched low, weighing the options in his mind.

They would go to fight the troops on the surface, a few more in the mix of thousands that were clashing above. Who knew how many they would kill while they did that from a defensive position with quality weapons.

On the other hand, if they could take the government officials they could end this entire war. They could finish the fight and save how many more?

He paused for a moment before pointing to the other path, moving swiftly and silently on before finding a stairway leading up. He could half-feel Vahl already wondering and he cut off any questions preemptively.

The sooner we get the prize, the sooner this is over, he said. Eye on the prize. It was very him, and it was also very practical.

He ascended the staircase and they broke out into a much more ornately carved hallway. Windows faced to an internal courtyard and his head tilted to the side in thought.

I wonder if we could have the ship put drop pods right into the center of that courtyard, he said, pointing out the window.

 

[Darth Tempest]

“Good,” Vahliri said with a single breath, bringing a hand up to squeeze Varyn’s forearm. Without another word, the half-Annfyn plunged into the building - her crimson saber moving instinctively to defend against any incoming blaster-fire or projectiles. Her fluted ears twitched with every faint movement, and the fellow Champion would see the way she glanced back over to him ever-so-often - almost protectively scouting out any potential threat.

Even as she walked, Vahliri listened to everything Varyn said - nodding along quietly. “Then this should give us a path right to them,” The half-Annfyn said after a long moment, glancing back over to him. “They’ll be secured on the premises, so..” Her gaze flicked further down the hall. Of course, the half-Annfyn’s thoughts were captured by the sight of the regiment stations at the base of the stairwell leading up. Her saber unignited at once as she observed their options - up until the moment that Varyn himself made the decision to continue on their course. Vahliri wasn’t blind to the consequences of their actions - the harsh reality of it all played out in slow motion within her mind.. But neither did she question the fellow Champion’s decision.

“Agreed,” She said very simply. In that moment, there was no need for further discussion on the matter. They needed to be decisive and move on quickly, regardless of the decision that was made.

As they ascended the ornate stairwell, Vahliri glanced across her shoulder - amber eyes flicking through the crystal windows and to the internal courtyard below. Her gaze swept across the manicured gardens that lead back into the building proper, a level or two above the fighting occurring in the lobby below. Without a word, the half-Annfyn lifted the commlink to her face. “This is Champion Kahtal - requesting immediate reinforcement inside the Central Administrative Center. Begin funneling dropships to the courtyard at these coordinates.”

“We keep pushing higher while troopers secure the building - level by level.” She said back towards Varyn, continuing along the ornate hallway. Artillery rocked the structure every few minutes - likely causing both of them to stumble a bit as they continued along. It didn’t take them long to reach yet another set of stairs - the steep incline taking them towards the top levels of the building. As they reached the top of the flight of stairs, they were greeted by the sight of six troopers stationed within an antechamber - thick blast doors positioned just behind where they were stationed.

The moment they were seen, blasters were raised.

“Halt–” Before the words could leave the mouth of one of the soldiers, an explosion rang out through the entire building. Artillery-fire once again found it marks against the building, this time punching through the duracrete walls and showering the antechamber with debris and rubble. The force of the blast was enough to send all of them - royal guards and sith included - off their feet, while a shower heavy chunks of debris crashed into those unfortunate enough to be caught in their trajectory. In an instant, Vahliri and Varyn were separated and blinded by the resulting plume of dust.

 

[Varyn Atrix]

He thought he could sense a hint of discomfort from her about his decision, as if she had wanted to intervene but she didn't. He wondered if she thought him a monster for his decision. He was sure the Jedi would have judged him for it, but things were different here. It had slowly dawned on Varyn that one of the only real differences between Jedi and Sith was means. Most fought for the same end.

Fortunately, there wasn't much time to linger on the question right now. They had to keep moving or more people were going to die, and that quickly stole his attention away from foolish questions.

She radioed in the coordinates but they didn't get to take the time to watch the troops come in. They had their job and it wasn't here.

Agreed, he said with a nod as they continued upward. As they broke into the next level, Varyn could feel the reverberations of artillery fire as it slammed near the palace. He could only imagine the damage that it was causing outside and the piles of bodies it was leaving in its wake.

More shots landed closer and the building continued to shake as they made it to the top of the stairs. Varyn's sabers snapped to life once again, that familiar surge of adrenaline rising in him as he glanced only for a moment back at Vahliri.

Even looking almost straight at the wall, Varyn could barely process the explosion that happened. A heavy shot had slammed into the structure again but this time much closer than before. Varyn was thrown from his feet, gasping for breath as the room filled with rubble and debris. He was alive - there was too much pain for him not to be - but his thoughts weren't concern for himself.

Vahl... Vahliri, he was barely able to sputter out with the limited air in his lungs.

Vahl! he shouted as the breath returned, pushing himself to his feet and stumbling forward, hand bracing him against the wall.

Suddenly he didn't care about the guards or the soldiers or the invasion or anything else, his mind was completely consumed with finding her and getting her to safety. Everything else... everything else could burn.

 

[Darth Tempest]

In an instant, artillery punched through the walls - and Vahliri barely had an opportunity to process what had happened. Before the half-Annfyn could take a single step forward, she was bodily send sailing across the room - crashing against an adjacent wall as rubble and debris was flung wildly all around them. Splitting pain shot through her leg as a piece of debris collided with her calf, pinning the limb into place beneath it. Her lungs filled with dust, eliciting a series of pained coughs as she sought to expel the foreign materiel.

Several, long moments passed before Vahliri fully regained consciousness of her surroundings. The dust began to settle just barely, and the half-Annfyn’s gaze flicked down to where her leg was pinned by the chunk of debris - a jagged piece of rebar piercing her calf. Gritting her teeth, Vahliri reached out with the Force - slowly pulling the piece out in the same direction it had entered. Her vision flashed as the pain surged, and the half-Annfyn couldn’t help the wail that escaped past her lips - one that Varyn would undoubtedly hear from wherever he was.

Only then did Vahliri attempt to pick herself up off the ground - groaning as the first bit of weight was pressed down onto her leg. It wasn’t entirely clear if it was broken or not - though the pain certainly indicated as much. She braced herself against an adjacent wall, exhaling a few labored breaths through her nostrils. It was only then that her fluted ears swiveled ever-so-slightly, picking up on the voice of Varyn as the fellow Champion darted forward and through the cloud of dust. He would see the sorry state of her leg and the blood that trickled down the hem of her robes.

"Var.." Without another word, Vahliri stepped forward - clearly favoring her good leg - and pulled the Champion into a tight hug. She buried her face against his shoulder, squeezing him tightly for a long moment. She let it linger - savored the knowledge that he was okay and that he knew she was as well - more or less. When she pulled back, Vahliri immediately knew he wasn’t going to like what she had to say.

“I'm fine - we need to keep moving. Until we reach the bunker,” She said flatly, her tone indicating that there was no room for argument. Not that she thought Varyn wouldn’t attempt to do so - but Vahliri wanted to hear none of it. Instead, her gaze flicked over to the path ahead. The royal guards had been crushed beneath the rubble, and the debris served to block the path leading forward.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Fear once again gripped Varyn as he saw Vahliri, or more specifically, her partially-mangled leg. He gripped her tightly as she hugged him and he almost lifted her off her feet he squeezed so hard.

He scooped her up in his arms with approximately-exactly 0 attempts to ask for permission and started marching back in the opposite direction. Naturally, she objected in that tone she got, but this time something unusual happened. Normally, Varyn would object and ultimately give in because it was her and he A) liked making her happy and B) didn't like arguing with her.

Today, however, was different. A very different mentality had settled over Varyn and it was one that would not see her injured or killed for him.

No, he said. The single word resonated with a weight to it that he didn't normally carry, almost as if it were said by an entirely different person. It was a definitive sound that she would immediately know that it was pointless to argue with. A million thoughts tore through Varyn's mind about the risks he was taking. The soldiers that would die because of this, the risks to the invasion and his career, and the dangers he would have in getting them both out of here and he didn't give a karking kriff.

What he cared about was in his arms and if the invasion failed because of this he would make it work another time or another way. Besides, it wasn't like these soldiers and officers had never fought in a battle before.

I'll help coordinate things from the command center while you get patched up. No arguments. Not this time, he said. Technically, officers sneaking into heavily guarded compounds wasn't really the norm anyway, so ha.

 

[Darth Tempest]

While Vahliri has predicted that Varyn wouldn’t be pleased with her intentions, the half-Annfyn wasn’t prepared for him to attempt hoisting her away from the battlescene in response. Amber eyes went wide as Varyn easily picked up her small frame and turned to vacate the area - causing her to blink a few times. She heard his plan - his borderline commands of what she was going to do - and he would only make it a few steps more before being met with Resistance.

“Varyn that’s enough,” She muttered, wincing a bit as the pain in her leg throbbed. It took the half-Annfyn a moment or two to finally find her strength - pushing past the agony she was feeling at that moment. Varyn wasn’t entirely wrong - she was injured. But the half-Annfyn wasn’t willing to run, or put her troops at risk, or allow anyone else to coddle her.

“Put me down now,” Whether he obeyed or not, Vahliri forced herself out of Varyn’s arms one way or another - still having enough strength to do so. The precise moment her feet touched the ground, Vahliri turned back into Varyn - her hand rising up to grip the fellow Champion by the front of his uniform. Even with her injury, the half-Annfyn had strength enough to push Varyn against the opposing wall - pinning him there while her eyes lingering on his own.

“I am NOT going to run from this battle,” She began, amber eyes narrowed into daggers upon the fellow Champion. “And I am not some girlish damsel for you to rescue from danger,” This might’ve been Varyn’s operation, but Vahliri chose to be here. It was her decision to fight and risk her life for him - not his. He didn’t have the authority to command her otherwise, and Vahliri wasn’t the type to readily accept being coddled and told what to do. “I don’t need to be protected.”

Her grip on his shirt remains firm, nostrils flaring a bit. “If we leave now, our soldiers die. More lives lost. More Imperial resources gone. All of it - so that we can take a backseat? No.” She said with a flat tone, shaking her head a bit. “The sooner we finish this, the sooner it all stops. And I refuse to prolong it any longer than is absolutely necessarily - and so should you.” Her stared right through him. “You are their commander.”

All the same, Vahliri knew his reaction came from a place of caring. Deep down, she knew that all Varyn wanted was to see her safe and happy - and a part of her couldn’t fault him for it. She couldn’t be angry for it. But neither would be bend over backwards or change exactly the person she was to appease those desires. She was Sith and her danger was a part of her mere existence - and that was her choice.

Her grip finally loosened ever-so-slightly, exhaling a breath through nostrils. “I will be fine, Varyn.. I’ve dealt with worse. I’ll deal with this, alright?” She stood a step backwards, releasing him before finally glancing down to her belt. “I have a basic medpack. Help me with my leg,” She knew they would need to bind it to stop the bleeding - and the few bacta patches in her utility pouch would help in that regard.

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn didn't resist her when she shoved him back, but he did take a moment to think about his next move. Reasoning with her was, of course, out of the question. She'd cut off her nose to spite her face.

He couldn't very well force her to do anything, though the thought of straight knocking her out and carrying her away did cross his mind. Ultimately, he thought better of it.

In the end, he settled on patching up her leg and taking the lead because frankly she couldn't keep in front of him anyway.

Don't get yourself killed just because you don't like being told what to do, he admonished. And as much as she wouldn't want to hear it, she would know he was right.

He wrapped the bacta pad around her leg and made sure she could stand before heading onward. He had every intention of drawing all the fire because that was just how he was, but it had actually worked quite well when she was uninjured as well.

The quicker they die, the quicker she's safe. Their existence is a threat, he told himself, letting that sink in through his mind. He let that anger build inside of him as he burst into the main chamber.

His sabers slashed and flashed as people were cut down in a flurry. Troopers swung in from the windows and soldiers opened fire, restraining one of the ambassadors after a moment.

It was only a few moments of interrogation further before they had to location of the local officials.

Base delta zero on coordinates I'm providing, he said. Turbolasers would rip it to shreds. Perhaps it was fear of her being hurt or perhaps it was something else, but he had no patience for an assault on the facility. The planet was theirs and the government would be restructured. He just wanted it to be done.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri allowed the bits of irritation to roll off of her - exhaled with every sharp breath through her nostrils. The half-Annfyn pointedly didn’t like being told what to do, or being treated like she couldn’t handle the situation at hand. Even if it came from a place of love and genuine affection, Vahliri was confident in herself and that if she claimed she was okay to continue, she was. All the same, it was the fact that it came from a place of love and affection - a desire to protect her - that the half-Annfyn wouldn’t stay irritated at Varyn. She offered him a small smile as her leg was patched up, though her brows furrowed a bit when he admonished her once her leg was patched up.

“Don’t jeopardize yourself and the mission to protect me.”

The half-Annfyn wasn’t the least bit pleased with Varyn insisted upon taking the majority of their fire - but also knew that arguing with the him was pointless. Instead, she focused on merely providing him as much cover as possible - her saber moving in clear strokes and the Force billowing force as she carved her path forward. They worked in unison - the deadly combination of two, committed duelists that was nothing short of brutal to behold.

Her thoughts were nothing but the battle ahead of them - and she only allowed herself a moment of rest when the interrogations began. They ended just as fast, and before Vahliri could capitalize on the new information, Varyn had already given the order. She blinked a few times - somewhat surprised by his decisive action.. But she didn’t argue with it, either. It was clean, efficient and brutal. Exactly what they needed to be in that moment. Exactly what their troops expected them to be.

Turbolasers ripped through the facility, and there was no question the leaders of the government were dead. Within only a few minutes, the same officer on the Star Destroyer above signalled back to Vahliri and Varyn - announcing that there were no survivors.

Vahliri lifted her commlink. “Broadcast the announcement to all open channels on the surface. Ensure that they all know and begin demanding surrender.” The government leaders were dead, military and political, and the Empre had descended in full force. There was no point in resistance anymore.

@Phoenix