Ask Event Korriban Korri-ban-Hammer

[Sol Kenuk]

Sol often prefers isolation, prefers to rely only on himself, prefers the companionship of the force, and little more. War was different, though, and it seemed the Empire intended to mount a glorious offensive against the Killik threat. Here he stood among loyalists and enemies alike, his towering frame peering over the heads of those that would join him and the Arcanist that would head their group. Four Acolytes and a Jedi. The Kel Dor's vision is as chilled as the wrath of a bitter winter as they land coldly upon the Knight. Another body shield, he thinks with bitter acceptance. But at least the Knight had experience. Sol was not entirely thrilled by the prospect of leading a group of Acolytes, and he doubted Master Letous was either. Perhaps he was judging too soon, though. Maybe they'd surprise him. Sol ignores the chatter, for the most part, until the many-eyed one asks for his name after her own introduction. Piercing eyes shift behind dark goggles to peer at Llolith.

"Sol Kenuk." The Kel Dor responds with a polite drawl, his fanged mask betraying nothing of his expression. The ornately dressed Champion says nothing more, merely inclines his head to the others, before his dark gaze returns to the arcanist.

@lizziie @LadyRen @SlagathorTheUnknown @Phoenix @Mr. Teatime

 

[Kasim Din]

Group 3​

At least the group he'd joined wasn't as gloomy as their attire- or the strange sense of uneasiness he'd had since landing on Korriban- suggested. Conscious that he stood out against a crowd of red and black thanks to his orange skin, the Tiefling's best hope for not being noticed by his older brother lay in the fact that there were a few apparent convicts dressed in orange as well, pressed into service. Nobody seemed to be feeling sorry for them besides the prisoners themselves, though, so Kasim decided not to focus on their plight and instead focus on the human in front of him who'd immediately made him feel a little more confident in his decision to come to Korriban. No wonder Altair had joined the Sith.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Nova" he said, his smile growing in response to hers. Nova didn't appear to be very shy, and Kasim, for one, didn't mind. "I look forward to getting to know you better." Another wink? No, that would be too premature; he didn't know Nova hardly at all, and just because he found her attractive didn't mean she thought the same of him.

Instead, he decided to go with an easy icebreaker. "Got any advice for a new recruit?" he asked her, curious if the others would weigh in. @LadyRen


@lizziie @lizziie @Nevermourn @Mr. Teatime

 

[Kanaloa Tau]

Group 3​

Kane's foot abruptly stopped bouncing when he was spoken to, goggled gaze turning to look at the diminutive, many-eyed Acolyte. Something like a dry chuckle came from behind the half-mask. "And hopefully of use. Thanks, like the shades." Not feeling the need to add any detail about how his species worked he moved right along. Figuring he'd best introduce himself and such, he tacked on, "Yo, I'm called Kane," to the group at large, straightening upright next to his spear.

Advice for new recruits? Not much the Wrean could offer Sith-wise or about Killiks specifically, but tossed in "Watch your swings in tunnels" as real generic advice, plus "Avoid chilli thursday" as a joke to try easing the general tension. His fingers tippity-tapped against his spear shaft, the nervous energy quickly returning as he stopped distracting himself with talk.

So he got back to it and looked around at the group. "What are we good at?" Felt like a relevant question to know what was going on in a ragtag group of Sith- and one Jedi- to have a basic idea of what they could do in formation. This wasn't like working with the usual group of Wrean hunters where he already knew what everyone could do. Kane ground his spear's blunt end into the sand. "I'm good with this and know some unusual tricks with the Force."

A little vague, but Kane figured it'd get the point across without giving away anything more specific. You know, in case the group had whatever the hell a Joiner was in it somewhere. As competitive as the Sith could be, this was by all accounts not the time for lots of secrecy if the result was their group being about as useful together as a dick-flavored lollipop. Best to be practical, here.

@lizziie @Nevermourn @SlagathorTheUnknown @Altaris @LadyRen @Phoenix

 

[Altair Din]

The groups all began to gather at different points and Altair came to a stop somewhere near the First Blade. He wasn’t paying too much heed to the others gathered there, but he did notice someone familiar approaching him. His helmet turned to regard Aadya as she arrived. Though she couldn’t see the lavender eyes she had grown accustomed to, his expression softened at the sight of her behind the visor. She always caught his attention in the past, and this time it was no different, “You too. And lookin' as fine as ever,” He said, though his voice was slightly modulated thanks to the helmet, “You wouldn’t miss me if you hung around Sith space more,” He quipped with a grin behind the helmet before remembering she couldn’t see it. The sentiment was also a subtle dig as to the reason they had broken things off to begin with.

His gaze followed hers as he looked over at the others, his mind wandering back to the last few times he and Aadya had gone into battle. Of course, things between them had been far different back then, “Almost like old times..” He remarked quietly.

He was taken out of his thoughts when Ashla approached. When the hell did she become so attractive? He kept his thoughts to himself for now, “Hey Ash-” He barely got the words out before she began to gush about how cool he looked. The tiefling coughed a few times, awkwardly shifting where he stood as his tail swished back and forth. A bit of sniggering could be heard from some of his soldiers standing behind him, but they stopped when Altair shot them a look.

“Just missin’ Vahl and Cairo, eh?” Altair said with a hint of sadness in his tone as he thought of Cairo. He hadn’t seen his best friend in a very long time and he feared him dead at this point. With Sith, nobody cared much about acolytes. They could drop like flies and their deaths could go without ever being reported.

Altair would have spotted his younger brother on the field and blown a gasket, but thankfully Ashla’s giant head blocked the way as usual.

@Wit @Logan

 

[Nova Trent]

Group 3​

It was funny how quickly her initial nervousity had faded thanks to her company. At first, her friend Llolith had distracted her because it had been simply nice to see a familiar face, but once Kasim had joined their little assembly things were getting even more interesting.

She was excited to meet a new face and the handsome Tiefling seemed quite open as well. "Oh trust me...same" she cheekily replied with a wink of hers this time, immediately starting to twirl a strand of loose hair. Before she could answer, the new guy -now known as Kane- chimed in and thag chili remark was indeed amusing.

She started chuckling and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, be careful with Taco-Tuesday, too" she added with a smirk, before she wanted to answer that question in a more serious manner. "In terms of those horror bugs...I've learnt that they have different weak spots...and their insides are acidic" those were genuine words of warning to all of them as she had unfortunately encountered them before. (@SlagathorTheUnknown)

"I'm good with my lightsaber...and I'd say lightnings are my specialty" she then replied, still rather seriously and confident about her skills. She was about to graduate and was excelling in most classes (when she wasn't involved in bickering with the superiors) and so far she had never had any issues with calling on the dark side so far. (@Mr. Teatime)

Kane's reply was rather vague, but she was slightly curious about his tricks now, even though that hint of mystery was also annoying. She already knew more about Llolith, so she was still interested in the new faces. "You better not try acrobatics with those bugs" she teased the blonde (@lizziie), before she turned back to the Tiefling.

"I see those Matukai gauntlets. That's impressive" she threw Kasim another flirtatious smile, before she realized that the Kel' Dor had introduced himself as well. She flashed him a brief smile out of politeness, but there was something creepy about him (@Nevermourn)

Other tags @Altaris @Phoenix

 

[Llolith Uttu]

"I am focused," Llolith grumbled in response to @Nova Trent, though it was clear she was playing along with her teasing. "And yeah, I think she is." she answered with a look that clearly conveyed her surprise and confusion at the Jedi's presence.

Feeling that @Sol Kenuk wasn't much of a talker - or just not interested in talking to her - Llolith just returned the nod the very tall Kel Dor had given her and turned her attention over to @Kanaloa Tau.

"Thanks, Kane," she grinned in response to the compliment, reaching up to adjust the dark lenses as she did. Korriban was horribly bright with its unrelenting sun. Without them, she'd look like her grandma trying to find a lost needle in the carpet by sight alone.

"Don't piss of your instructors," Llolith chimed in for @Kasim Din with a slightly irritated look on her face. "I mean, it's inevitable if you get an asshole. Just try not to piss them off too much more." One of her instructors hated that she preferred to avoid contests of strength, and he'd made it his personal little vendetta to try to force her to do something that would never work for her.

Llolith listened to Kane and Nova say what they thought they were good at, then took a few moments to decide what she would say. "I see well at night," she considered. "Though sunlight is a bitch." That really wasn't a skill either though, so she just gave a simple answer. "I'm quick on my feet and have really good spatial awareness." At Nova's comment, she playfully rolled her eyes and responded with a smirk. "Would you rather me try them with you again?"

-​

Master Letous' Group
tags: @Phoenix | @LadyRen @Altairs @Nevermourn @Mr. Teatime @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Kasim Din]

Group 3​

"Kane" Kasim acknowledged with an nod of his head. The Wrean carried a spear, weapon with reach kind of like Altair's Wan-shen (@Mr. Teatime). A quick glance over at his brother both confirmed his older brother's attention focused elsewhere (on a girl; no surprises there), and the absence of his weapon. "Nice to meet you, Sol" he said, moving slightly to his left, trying to keep the 6'5" Kel Dor between him and Altair (@Sreeya). It wasn't nice to meet Sol- the Champion's politeness clashed with their masked visage that left Kasim feeling more than a little intimidated- but at least the maneuver took him a step closer to Nova (@Nevermourn).

The nine-eyed girl spoke up next, bringing up her talents, and giving Kasim time to think of his. He was decent with a vibroblade, but Amira (@llamallove) beat him practically every time; both with their blade and then with her trash talking. He wasn't anywhere as close to being as strong as Altair, and while he tended to use his general athleticism to his advantage instead of relying on brute strength, he wasn't about to claim that as a strength right after Llolith had (@lizziie).

Fortunately for the Tiefling, Nova unknowingly came to his rescue by mentioning his Matukai gauntlets. Altair probably wouldn't approve of him saying he was great at the unarmed combat style, but Kasim saw no harm in showing off for the pretty human. "I guess you could say I'm pretty good with my hands" he said, his smile returning as he locked eyes with Nova for just a moment longer than one might expect. Llolith's remark hadn't escaped his attention, either. "And I also give lessons" he offered, cheekily (@lizziie @LadyRen).

Of the eclectic group, only the blonde woman had not spoken, which intrigued Kasim. Her disposition was somehow different from others in the area, and her silence only made him more curious (@Altaris).

 

[Darth Tiamat]

He turned to look at her, she could see the conflict in his eyes despite the weariness they carried from the lightsider being on a world that did not align with his strength. Tiamat watched in silence as he looked at her, she wasn't even sure what she would say if he tried to make conversation. This was the same individual who seemed caught up in trying to make judgement of her, to determine if she were righteous enough for him and his order. Not to mention the weird obsession to know her involvement with his mom. Ugh...

The jedi eventually spoke up, inquiring about the Killik's and the rumors he heard, "We'll we're about to find out, aren't we?" she stated flatly. She wasn't sure herself how that worked with a hive-mind and force sensitives; it gave a new level of power to the bugs if they could somehow manipulate the user into using it. She assumed nothing was impossible for them. Despite questions floating as to how Crix wound up in a sith prison, she kept it to herself, her mind focusing on the task that would lead them to hopefully answers even if they were the ones they didn't want to hear.

She turned slowly to look at the others, many arrived, ready to defend their home. She saw many sith she knew, many excellent fighters; the echoing of Altair's pre-war rallying drew her attention to the tiefling. She avoided letting herself become distracted and focused on the faces of those she didn't know, wondering if she would see them when this was over, or if this would even be her last time looking to the soon survivors of this new war.

 

[Nova Trent]

Group 3 (social)​

It was a good thing that Llolith hadn't even commented on the fact that while Nova had warned her about not getting distracted, the brunette acolyte was not even following her own advice. 'This is no yacht party. Stay focused' she had, however, reminded herself internally then.

"Oh you already know the answer to that question" she had teasingly replied to Llolith (@lizziie) , flashing her a cheeky grin, before ger full attention had shifted back to the young Tiefling. She was indeed curious to witness a demonstration of his skills in person, but as he was obviously no actual acolyte, she wondered whether Master Lettuce would be so pleased.

In the end, however, she didn't care about that anyway and his playful remark immediately made her raise a brow. Now she was more than intrigued. "Oh?" she started, "I feel like I need a demonstration. Many claim that after all..." she then cheekily teased him, wiggling her brows (@SlagathorTheUnknown). Before that comment about the lessons piqued her curiosity further. "Oh now things get really interesting" she quickly shot Llolith a smirking gaze before hazel eyes flicked back to the Tiefling.

Yes, she knew this was no fun meet-up, but there was something serious going on and the Academy was under attack, yet those lighthearted, playfully conversations had soothed her strongly. The nervousity was gone and she was still grinning, her mood much more positive than before. It seemed like their mixed group was quite well balanced, encompassing members of all sorts of skills and she was sure they would get along well somehow.

Other tags: @Mr. Teatime @Nevermourn @Altaris @Phoenix

 

[The Gatekeeper]

It meant many things to be Sith, but through the ages, the three paths that stood before those gathered had always represented the trio of pursuits followed by those who held the title. Today, both Acolytes and foreigners alike would get a glimpse into the inner workings of how the Empire truly thought and operated.

Group Ericton​

Those who chose to follow the First Blade would find that although there certainly were enemies on Korriban, they were not so rank and file orderly as they had been in previous attacks. There was no battlefield lined with enemies, but a scattering of Killik invaders at different key points around the academy. The moment the group made its way outside, they would be able to see that multiple of the surrounding structures were being assaulted by the Killik forces.

To their right was one of the security buildings. The sounds of blasterfire could be heard from inside, and the Imperials present would know this was the source of the control tower for the local shield generator and ground to air turbolasers. Out front, at least a half-dozen Killiks - bearing strange pole weapons or perhaps spears - were clambering to find a way inside.

To their left was a tomb entrance that led into the side of the mountain. Although it wasn't clear what may be going on inside what was clear was that the Killiks wanted in there, at least two Killik guards stood outside while another four could be seen scurrying their way inside, now unseen in where they had gone.

No doubt more searching would reveal more buildings under assault, but such discoveries were not yet able to be seen.

Group Trelain​

While those in Master Ericton's group left the temple through the main doors, Master Trelain proceeded further into the temple along with those who had chosen to follow her. She was arguably the most proactive of the trio on the regular, and it appeared she had already begun tracking down Joiners and those suspected of Joining.

They made their way deeper into the temple before coming to a large room. The door slid open and it was a scene very familiar to Crix because he'd been in a not-so-different situation not so long ago.

Inside the room were all manner of tormenting devices and prisoners locked in cages. The cruelty of the Sith could be seen here more than most places, but Master Trelain didn't seem to mind. She led them to the far side of the room where three acolytes were all confined to their cells.

These three have all been detained under suspicion of being Joined. Whether they are or not is what we need to determine, and if so, how they can lead us to the former Overseer and their Killik masters, she said. Whether questioning, torture, mental manipulation, or some other technique, it was up to those gathered to figure ascertain the truth and act on it. No small feat.

Group Letous (pronounced Leh-t-ouse not Lettuce you filthy animals)​

The Arcane Master looked back at her group and wondered how many of them were going to survive this. They had perhaps 15 years of experience with the Force between all of them. And there was a Jedi, so she would be worthless with the Dark Side, too. Perhaps their minds could at least provide fodder to feed her own power when they confronted the nexus.

She led her group deeper to the very center of the temple before beginning to descend a staircase. The Winding Stair ran deep, and it would seem like those who had chosen this path would never reach the bottom. The walls would slowly change from the initially sterile, mechanical appearance of most buildings in the galaxy into a more ancient appearance. Eventually, they transitioned into an underground cave system, the walls now made of stone and dirt.

The sensations of the darkness would grow deeper down here, and side passages would shoot off to either side. Each member of the group would be able to hear the sounds of movement and skittering in the other tunnels, but for the moment, there was no sign of anyone else.

Master Letous held up her hand, a blue glow emitted from it through some form of magic to light her way, and she made no attempt to provide light for anyone else to see.

Group members would be free to walk any of the paths, and as they walked, they may begin to wonder if the Sith Master knew where she was actually going as they turned this way and that through the dark tunnels.

 

[Crix Aran]

Group Trelain​

She either didn't know herself or she didn't care to illuminate him in the time that they had available to them. It didn't matter all too much which was the case - all that mattered was that there were enemies they were charged to investigate who might actually be the kind who could overwrite his mind with their own and he was going to go in against them with a knife and a shock collar.

The situation was less than ideal in a number of ways.

Being led back into the Temple but Master Trelain was not unexpected - nor was arriving back at the torture chambers. He was certain that they had an official title but he couldn't think of what that might be for the life of him. Instead it was the torture chamber. He had spent some time here but they were still convinced that he could either turn or he could give up valuable intelligence - either way, they pushed but they didn't want to break him so his first hand experience here was limited.

He did his best to present a neutral expression as he was walked through the torture and the pain and the fear and hatred that saturated the room. Coming to a stop in front of three captured Acolytes, Crix did his best to stomp down the vindictive surge of amusement he got from the whole scene. Oh how those same Acolytes must have thought that they'd never see this room from that side of the bars...

Looking across the trio of captured Acolytes, Crix decided that the best way for him to avoid being killed for 'non-compliance' was to take an active role in the investigation.

"Do we know if the Joined retain all of their memories?" he asked aloud, asking Master Trelain but also the group as a whole, "If they don't we can test with something only they should know - if they are Joined they wouldn't remember. If they do?"

He thought about it for a moment.

"How long have they been imprisoned? If we can establish a method to reliably determine if they are telling the truth or not, then we can quiz them on events they couldn't possibly know - but that a hive-mind connected person would. If they lie about not knowing things only a Joined would know then we have identified them."

Spoiler: TLDR

Crix goes to the torture room and questions Trelain/Sith at large if they know if Joined maintain all of their memories from before they were Joined. Asks if they have a lie detector handy or something similar to see if they can trap a Joined into lying about knowing something they'd only know if they were sharing minds with people who are no imprisoned.

@Phoenix @GABA

 

[Sol Kenuk]

GROUP: Letous

Ah, socializing. A part of him was bitter about how easily the rest of the group seemed to commune with one another, as if they were all friends. As if the Killiks were not trying to fit their disgusting mandibles around Korriban, of all places. But perhaps he was being too harsh. Perhaps humor was how they dealt with such threats. He just hoped they didn't get too sappy with one another. He might gag. At the very least, he listened, heard what each claimed to excel at. Sol would not forget the talents they stated they were skilled with. Such information was likely to become useful to him later.

His fanged mask shifts as cold eyes flicker from the group, to their leading Arcane master, Letous. Jealousy crawls beneath his skin like snakes, but the Champion swallows it down. He would focus instead on the larger threat, for now.

With a long and graceful stride, the towering Kel Dor slips across polished floors after the woman that made her way deeper into the academy's halls, like a dagger breaching the Empire's heart. They soon reached a staircase, slipping into the choking void below, where the chilling bite of the dark side seemed ever stronger. An invitation, Sol thinks, as if the danger of what lied below was beckoning to him. He had never seen what was beneath the temple before.

Now, he would immerse himself within the black waves and sink instead of swim, all too willing to drown in that coiling sensation of power that whispered ambition beneath his skin, frayed the edges of his weathered spirit, like a twisting adder in his gut.

Down they travel, and light grows distant. Sol reaches out, but not with his hands. His senses bring clarity to the darkness. No color. Only the sensation of the walls that closed around them as they reached the tunnels. The figures of his comrades standing against the black, like stones in the rushing current of the force. The extra-sensory organs on the Kel Dors head only heightened these senses further, like the whiskers of a cat testing the surrounding atmosphere. Everything had changed. The world was now ancient, and the walls were a crumbling sandstone carved by the hands of those whose names were long forgotten.

He hears movement in the dark, as he glides across the dirt that laid before him, keeping pace with Master Letous. Light emanates from the magic she conjures, but Sol has no desire to rely on his physical sight. The force was enough, as he immersed himself within the dark side that twisted around him like a poison. Where the Jedi might recoil at the sensation, Sol preferred to embrace it's choking grasp. The tunnels were winding and seemingly endless, but Sol walks on in silence, even as a paranoia creeps into the back of his mind, pokes at his conscious. A familiar sensation for the Kel Dor. But he was a Sith among other Sith. It was expected. But it certainly puts Sol on guard.

Spoiler: TL;DR

Sol is following the Arcane Master. He feels the temptation of the dark side, and seems all too eager to embrace it as they travel deeper into the temple, and down the winding tunnels below. He's feeling a bit paranoid so he's on guard.

@LadyRen @Mr. Teatime @Altaris @Phoenix @SlagathorTheUnknown @lizziie

 

[Altair Din]

Group Ericton
​

Altair could hear the commotion from where the Killik were attacking. He glanced back to see the others that joined Ericton, doing a quick survey of skills. From the looks of it, only he and Aadya had Imperial forces with them. He cast a glance towards the building to the right and looked over at Aadya and her men. After a moment, he turned and called out to the others gathered there. The First Blade was occupied and he assumed command in the meantime.

“Ash, Pedee and..” He eyed the Mirilian acolyte, “You, acolyte,” He pointed a finger at him, “Three of you head to the tomb. Aadya and I will take our men to the building. We’ll be on a shared comms channel so be in contact at all times. Let us know if you need help,” Altair didn’t leave much room for discussion - they had to get going immediately.

With that, he turned and nodded at Aadya before he started marching with his men towards the security building. Altair walked next to Aadya as he spoke, “There’s a control tower in there,” He had spent enough time on Korriban to be familiar with some of the local facilities, “We’ll wanna make sure the Killik can’t make it there to drop the shield,” Ruusan had been a lesson on what could happen if they got their fleets through.

Altair spotted the Killik up front and he began to channel the Force. While they were busy attempting to get into the building, he coiled the Force around them and attempted to throw two of them them directly against the wall of the building to smash their heads. He couldn’t toss all of them, but he hoped the element of surprise would knock them out right out the gate.

@Logan @Wit @The Good Doctor @Apollyon @Phoenix

 

[Kasim Din]

Group 3​

As much as Kasim would've liked to continue chatting with Nova and the others, but their Tour Guide began wordlessly leading them towards stairs. "Guess that'll have to wait!" he said to Nova, pleased that she was still playing along. The Tiefling belatedly realized that he wasn't actually certain what was going on here or what would be asked of him, but it was too late now. No backing out of whatever this was, even if he had a bad feeling about this.

That didn't mean he wasn't nervous, however. Even an untrained Force user like him could feel the power of this place, that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up straight. The Tiefling shivered despite himself, his earlier confidence fading with every step he took down, down, down...

The oppressive darkness made the ambience of the place- full of creeping things that creeped below the earth- even more nightmarish. Being unable to summon light like Master... Lettuce?... the Tiefling first tried to navigate in the dark like Sol did (@Nevermourn), but he kept bumping into whomever was on his right side. Finally, Kasim admitted defeat and activated a glow rod from his utility belt, shining soft red light that would likely be enough for others to walk by, too.

Only then was he able to determine who he'd been running into every so often the past few minutes- the one who seemed very out of place here (@Altaris). "Sorry" Kasim mumbled to the Jedi, relieved that it wasn't Nova. He quickly searched for the human, and if he caught her eye he would give her a quick wink and a brief smile that communicated more confidence than he felt (@LadyRen). He was beginning to realize just how far in over his head he was...


@Mr. Teatime @Phoenix @lizziie

Spoiler: Kasim (Group 3)

Kasim bumbles around in the dark for a bit before lighting a red glow rod
Kasim is located to the left of Sarella in the group

 

[Ashla Ti]

GROUP ERICTON

Ashla, sharing in the sombre moment at the mention of Cairo, had been silent as they moved outside. But once outside, and upon hearing the sounds of conflict all around, she pushed away those thoughts and turned her focus to the task at hand. She had no idea where Cairo was, or if he was even alive, and she could do nothing about that. But she could something in the here and now.

She didn't object at Altair's orders, someone had to take charge, and she was more than happy that he was stepping up. Besides, the plan was a sound one, so even if it had been Draugr giving the orders she would have followed them. She nodded in understanding, all signs of the enthusiastic fangirl who had been overjoyed at an unexpected reunion gone, replaced by the Sith Champion she had been forged into over the years.

"Stay safe." She said to both Aadya and Altair, and gestured for the acolyte and the droid to follow. She started moving towards the tomb, before spotting the two killiks standing guard near the entrance, also taking note of the four who were already pushing into the tomb.

"Once in the tomb I'll take point," she told her companions as she unclipped her lightsaber, her eyes coming to a stop on the droid, "the acolyte follows, and you bring up the rear. Watch our six, and if shit hits the fan fall back and call for help." The droid was the only one who was entirely immune to whatever these killiks did to convert people to their cause, so she was the logical choice to be the hold out. And if the killiks were smart enough to think that, then she would also be the first one to get targeted. Ashla had no idea if they were smart enough to think like that, but she wasn't going to wait and find out. That's why she was taking point, paint a big enough target so that the killiks don't go after their failsafe. She could have made the acolyte take point, use him as fodder to test the enemy's abilities. Luckily for him, even though she could be cold, she wasn't that cold.

She continued moving towards the tomb, not waiting for an acknowledgement, and ready to react if the killiks attacked. When about a dozen or so feet from the guards she started running as she simultaneously reached out with the Force and yanked one of the guards towards her, her blade springing to life to try and swing it across the approaching form of the killik and cut it down before the other had an opportunity to react.

OOC: Actions in blue.

@The Good Doctor @Apollyon @Phoenix

 

[Lucas Orum]

Group Ericton​

Lucas and the team he had been assigned to followed Lieutenant Din, Crusader Rasheer, and Crusader Ti, alongside a combat droid. Upon reaching the exterior of the Academy Lucas would catch sight of his first glimpse of true warfare. There were multiple theaters, multiple assault points, and what seemed to be limitless threats to assess. Lucas felt the blood rush to his head, this was unlike the petty squabbles and turf wars on Vandyne, this was true warfare and it was overwhelming. It was only the distant voice of the Lieutenant that he had been assigned to serve beneath that drew him from his own mind and the horror it was trying to comprehend.

Lucas' eyes focused solely on the Tiefling's finger that was pointed squarely at him, had been muffled and distant until this moment. Now that Lucas was being directly addressed time seemed to crash back into normal order, sound became suddenly clearer, the words that Lieutenant Din spoke were more clear than any he had heard in his life.

"You, acolyte. Three of you head to the tomb. Aadya and I will take our men to the building. We’ll be on a shared comms channel so be in contact at all times. Let us know if you need help" The Crusader barked.

"Wha-" Lucas barely managed to stifle his instinctual response.

He felt his gut sink as he remembered the Kaleesh's words, they had been assigned to Lieutenant Din and because of that, they might be able to get out of this alive. Lucas's jaw tightened in an attempt to steel his own nerves, he swallowed hard once, and gave a simple wordless nod of affirmation in reply. He had been sent here to fight, he had been ordered to obey, the only way he was going to survive was by doing those two things explicitly.

The trio immediately departed from the rest of the group and made their way towards the tombs. Crusader Ti was now his assigned commanding officer and she wasted no time developing a marching order for the trio. He didn't argue, the Overseers on Taris had made one thing painfully clear to him during his short time there, his opinions didn't matter. Instead, Lucas simply pulled both the hilt of his lightsaber then his heavy blaster pistol from their places at his sides and followed the Togruta into combat.

Lucas felt her tug on the Dark Side, it was a muted thing to his senses, his mind hadn't been focused on his surroundings and so the web of intangible awareness had withdrawn into him. In this state, Crusader Ti was barely at the edges of what he could feel through the Dark Side but she was still within that web. Lucas' eyes locked onto the same target as he too gathered the dark side within him, it was a mere flicker to Ti's flame but the way in which he used it was different.

While many Sith and Acolytes used just enough of their own stamina to accomplish a task, Lucas overcompensated. He gripped the dark side and utilized it as an explosive element, he often twisted too hard or drew too deep to create exaggerated effects. While this was effective in short skirmish engagements, his Overseers had been keen to warn him of Force usage akin to this in prolonged engagements. But Lucas didn't care, he'd rather fights like these be done quickly, he intended to survive this and so he would pour himself into the Dark Side.

Lucas felt the sudden tax on his body, he utilized his own fear of death and rage against his ability to choose his fate to draw upon the Dark Side. Before he unleashed the welled power, he darted after Crusader Ti, and when he was sure that he was well within range, he broke the dam within himself. The maneuver he utilized was similar to that of Crusader Ti, the Dark Side would coil around the legs of the other Killik guard and attempt to rip them out from beneath the creature. Once it's back was on the ground, the crimson blade of Lucas' lightsaber would snap to life and he would bring the cruel edge down upon the Killik, in an attempt to severe it's head from it's body.

@The Good Doctor @Wit @Phoenix

OOC: Relevant action also in blue

 

[Nova Trent]

Group 3 (LeH - t - OuSe) ​

Their conversation was interrupted by the Master that suddenly started to get going. Nova immediately turned and started to follow with a sigh, her mood much more brightened on the one hand but on the other hand she knew that the drama and the action was about to begin now.

She had enjoyed the conversation with her group members but Master Leotus looked quite strict and so she was not daring to continue her playful bantering for now. She nodded with a grin now, shooting Kasim (@SlagathorTheUnknown) another smirk before she linked arms with Llolith again (@lizziie) .

She was partly doing that because it calmed her further and partly because she had gotten quite close to the blonde acolyte and she was definitely the one she knew best of this group, so in case anything went wrong, she would at least rely on her...She was wary of the Master and definitely sceptic of the tall crab guy (@Nevermourn), had no idea what to make of that Kane (@Mr. Teatime) and the Jedi (@Altaris) and ckuntless others though. Kasim seemed fine, but she was a bit confused about why he had joined the Nexus group after all, yet she was curios to see what their motley group would find.

Nova followed the Master right inbetween Llolith and Kasim, but the deeper they went, the darker and creepier it already got. The dark energy was already obviously noticeable and even if she was used to that, she had never been in contact with such a pulsating Nexus, so the sensation was surely interesting.

The master didn't seem to care how they got along in the back so she partly relied on the Force to guide her, however she still bumped into someone or the walls every now and then. Once Kasim activated she shot him a thankful smile."You're already making yourself useful" she then playfully teased as she started following him, once again calmed by the lightheartedness that was still reigning their conversations. Even though she had no actual idea where they were headed, she thought that deeper inside might be the best idea and she ensured that she did not loose sight of neither Llolith nor Kasim while trying to focus on the Nexus.

@Phoenix

Spoiler: TLDR

Nova follows the Master downstairs before staying close to Kasim and Llolith, reaching out with the Force to let it guide her towards the Nexus while they maneuver through the tunnels

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

GROUP ERICTON​

The multifaceted nature of the battlefield that they were immediately presented with resulted in a scowl from Aadya. It would mean that the group would need to split up to effectively take down the threats, but that also meant there was far more room for failure than if they stuck together. Aadya was confident in her and Altair's ability to find victory, but she was unsure how much the Mirilian and the robot would slow down Ashla.

When Altair had finished giving his.. orders as it were, Aadya merely nodded her head in understanding and motioned for her men to head towards the security building on the right.

The longer it takes us to sweep the building the more likely anyone left alive inside is lost to the Joining, She said after Altair attempted to deal with two of the guards. It will be safer to just kill anyone left and replace them with our own men, since we know they can be trusted.

Aadya's troops would look to pepper the Killiks Altair had tried smashing into the wall, just to make sure they were dead. Meanwhile, Aadya was already heading straight for the Killiks that were outside the door.

Taking her saber, Aadya would drag it in a line in front of her, the heat from the weapon more than enough to crystalize the Korribani sand into sharp, jagged hunks of glass. Reaching out with the force, Aadya would raise this glass and send it flying straight for what Killiks still remained outside.

Hopefully they wouldn't be ready for such an attack, and it would tear through their bodies like bullets.

The more Killik they could kill outside of spear range the better, as far as she was concerned. Of course, Aadya also knew that they couldn't play the ranged game forever so, assuming her attack would leave them a route into the building, she would look to head inside.

OOC: Actions in white

@Sreeya @Phoenix

 

[Sarella]

Lettuce Squad​

It entirely went without saying that Sarella was out of her element. Not just for stepping foot onto Korriban - but for choosing to delve closer to the corrupted, Dark Side nexus that thrummed at the heart of the planet. Perhaps it was a decision she would come to regret before long - but the Fallanassi knew that she could be more assistance here then she ever would on the front lines of combat or attempting to sneak through academy corridors.

She could feel the gazes of her.. Companions? - lingering on her, and it was no mystery why that was the case. All the same Sarella did her damndest to afford their appraising no mind at all. She had no desire to escalate the thick tension and instead kept her attention rightfully fixed onto the task ahead of them. Though she would be lying if she claimed to believe the Sith would do the same.

Leather boots carried her deeper into the maze-like caverns, and with every step, Sarella could feel the swell of the Darkness grow stronger. It was a perversion of the Force and the Light that the Fallanassi held in reverence, and it tore ethereal claws through her mind and very being. She drew no strength from it like the others and was worthless to the subtle shifts and fluxes in the font of energy. Instead, Sarella did her best to center herself against it. Sarella traveled in relative darkness - feeling as someone within the group continued to walk into the right side of her.

It wasn’t until the young Tiefling activated his glowrod that the Fallanassi glanced to her left - allowing her chestnut gaze to linger on him for a moment. “Don’t sweat it,” She said simply, reaching into her own utility belt to pull out a glowrod of her own. She activated the device with a flick of the switch - filling her corner of the tunnel with a bright, yellowed glow.

“We may be better served by splitting up into groups,” She said after a long moment, glancing between them, “There is no telling where these tunnels lead, we would be able to cover more ground that way.” Or perhaps the Sith Master did know where they were going. Sarella couldn't really tell.

Regardless of their answer, Sarella’s eyes fluttered closed after moment ticked by. While her gaze closed on the physical, she drew upon the Light and allowed it to flow through her - expanding through the stone-carved caverns and down each winding corner. Whatever else, the Kilik’s were connected through the Force like all other life - and the Fallanassi attempted to scour for any hint of their presence within the caverns. Perhaps it would guide them towards the Nexus they attempted to tamper with, or perhaps spare them from some ambush awaiting them.

Spoiler: TLDR

Sarella suggests splitting up to explore the other tunnels. She then uses the Force in an attempt to sense the presence of other life/Kilik's down in the caverns.

@Phoenix

@lizziie @LadyRen @Nevermourn @Mr. Teatime @SlagathorTheUnknown (Tagging those in Group 3)

 

[Llolith Uttu]

Master Leh-t-ouse
°​

Nova linked her arm with Llolith's and they began to follow along with the rest of the group following Master Letous. They descended down a seemingly endless flight of stairs, losing more and more light until the ground evened out and they entered the cave. She made sure to keep her arm tucked around Nova's, because while she could still see just fine, she wasn't sure how well the older acolyte could see.

Naturally, the dark didn't bother the girl. She'd grown up on a planet shaded by massive trees and cooled by long nights. Her people were nocturnal, generally, on top of that. What did bother her was the heavy, almost pervasive aura of the Force in the air. Was she supposed to shield herself against it or open herself up? For now, Llolith stayed walled up, worried about the Killik threat and their weird Joining.

"Do you think we'll run into bugs down here?" Llolith asked @Kasim Din and @Nova Trent a bit after the tiefling activated his glow stick. Their purpose was to find while the balance of the nexus was off - according to Master Letous - but who was to say there wouldn't be some bugs down here causing the issue?

The cute Jedi from before finally piped up. Llolith glanced her way when she spoke. "Split up?" If the Master agreed, then she would have to make a quick decision as to who would be the best pick. Nova, for sure, but she wasn't sure about Kasim yet. Sol was probably the best choice, but the champion seemed like the sort that would leave anyone behind at the first given opportunity. Kane was in the same boat as Kasim, and the Jedi was a Jedi, so how useful could she be?

"Group?" Llolith asked again of Kasima and Nova, her voice hushed as she gestured between the three of them. Kasim seemed nice enough - he'd made it pretty clear he liked Nova so far - so if anything, he could be cannon fodder.

°​

Spoiler

Proposes a group of three to Nova and Kasim.

tags: @Phoenix | @LadyRen @SlagathorTheUnknown @Nevermourn @Mr. Teatime @Altaris