Ask Event Korriban Korri-ban-Hammer

[Lucas Orum]

Group Din​

During Lucas's failed assault he was able to see the other Killik loop around him as the pair had been standing next to one another during their initial chase. This meant that despite the fact his blades were locked with the Killik's spear, he would know where the other creature roughly was in proximity to him. With the raw power of the Dark Side and adrenaline still coursing through his veins, Lucas would react instinctually and immediately. A wave of telekinetic energy would be launched from his body, it would collide with both the Killik before him and the one behind him with enough force to push them back several meters, essentially resetting the distance there had been during their chase, which was roughly ten feet.

While this maneuver would save him from death through disembowelment, Lucas would find that it didn't prevent the tip of the spear from finding a shallow purchase. The edge would cut through the armorweave cloak, slice neatly through the back of his duraplast armor, and bury itself half an inch into his back before being blown out of him by the telekinetic blast he had unleashed around him. For that brief moment Lucas would feel the electricity from the spear arching into his body, causing pain to shoot through every nerve and cauterize the wound on the way back out. In that single frightening moment Lucas would remember what the instructors had taught him on Taris, every sensation in battle, every emotion could empower a Sith, even pain. Instead of tensing up and raging against the agony. Lucas embraced the pain and launched himself forward to re-engage with the Killik in front of him before it could regain it's footing and guard.

It would take Lucas less than a second to reach his target, his chainsword would once again sweep out to catch the Killik across it's shoulders in effort to bisect it. Meanwhile, his lightsaber swept in from the opposing side to carve through it's torso along where it's diaphragm would sit. The attack would absolutely forgo any sort of guard for Lucas, however with the Killik hopefully still off-guard from Force attack it wouldn't matter. The positioning of the attacks being so close on it's body which meant that it would be difficult for the Killik to utilize the same trick it had before to protect itself. This combined with it's hopefully still jarred state meant that it was highly likely the Killik would meet it's end at the edges of his blades.

Should the assault prove successful, Lucas would take a few more steps beyond his fallen foe as he turned to face the Killik that had been behind him. It was likely at this point the creature would have recovered, Lucas would have to be ready for the fight to continue. Despite this, he felt the drain on his body, his breathing had become more labored and beads of sweat were forming across his skin. He knew this fight had to be over sooner rather than later, he wasn't used to actual combat and couldn't take much more of this.

@Phoenix @Wit

Spoiler: tldr

Lucas sees the other Killik loop around and Force Repulses. He takes a shallow wound from the stab as he does this and then run forward to attack the Killik in front of him before it can recover it's footing and guard. Chainsword sweeps high, across it's shoulders and his lightsaber sweeps from the opposing side across it's upper torso, across the diaphragm region. If he kills the Killik, he takes a few steps beyond it as he turns to face the Killik that was behind him.

 

[Nova Trent]

Ex-Lettuce, now Cave​

Even though the foolish Jedi had 'thankfully' sacrificed herself, Nova had almost expected this treacherous bitch to lash out and try to stop them, but no, they both kept running and running until they had brought a distance between that terrible ritual chamber and themselves.

Nova slowed down though, the exhaustion clearly making it harder for her. Now that they were back in the caves, she wondered a few things. Would they accidentally stumble upon the creepy crab champion (@Nevermourn)? Hadn't he run away to deal with the Killik? Were here Killik?! Please not again...

"Kriff...we need to get out here quickly" she said to him (@SlagathorTheUnknown), her tone indicating that she was not only exhausted, but also stressed. She automatically grabbed the hilt of her lightsaber firmly, nodding towards one of the tunnels. "This way...I hope" she admitted a bit hectically as she urged him to keep moving.

She tried to stay focused while navigating though the tunnels, also focusing on the rage inside her. Not only had that bitch betrayed them, but she had killed Llolith and one way or another, she would pay for that. She glanced over to Kasim, hoping he wouldn't freak out now, but their situation was not exactly good.

@Phoenix

Spoiler: Roll

51/100

Spoiler: TLDR

Nova tries to keep it together while navigating through the tunnels, not knowing whether they are taking the right path. She stays attentive

 

[Kasim Din]

Group 3 (Cave)​

Unless Nova resisted, Kasim wouldn’t let go of her hand until they’d broken line of sight with Master Letous. Even before he considered his relief that she’d survived, the connection served a logical purpose- he didn’t want to be on his own down here, not when there was certain death behind and a maze of confusion ahead. Belatedly, the Tiefling realized that he’d spent too much time making faces at Nova and not enough time paying attention to the path they’d taken down to the ritual chamber. At least he had one more glowstick; he’d left the red one behind in the chamber in his haste to exit, so a soft blue light soon bathed their surroundings.

To Kasim's relief, Nova also seemed intent to leave this place. The Tiefling simply nodded in agreement and prepared for the journey ahead, sticking the glow rod in through horns so that it lay horizontally across his head. It would be held there by his hair; Kasim wasn't concerned about how ridiculous he looked when the solution kept both hands free for punching stuff.

Why was he throwing his lot in with a girl he hardly knew? The superficial answer was that he found her attractive, but deep down Kasim knew that right now they both wanted the same thing; revenge. He was furious that Master Letous had betrayed them, and he could only imagine what Nova was feeling after seeing a friend die at the bwitch’s hands. “She’ll pay for what she’s done” he continued, hard certainty settling into his voice. “I promise.” Whether it was proximity to the Nexus, or the seeds of the Dark side that had been implanted in him by the ritual, Nova would be able to tell that something had changed in the Tiefling.

As the sounds of combat faded behind them- to be replaced with the ominous ambience of the catacombs underneath Korriban- Kasim flexed his gloved hands, ready to activate them at a moment's notice. He’d walk alongside Nova while keeping his senses on high alert for danger.

@Phoenix @LadyRen

LadyRen's roll for navigation: 51/100

Spoiler: Kasim's actions

Kasim lights his last glow rod (blue) and sticks it in his hair/horns
Kasim walks next to Nova, keeping his eyes and ears alert for danger as they try to leave

 

[Ashla Ti]

GROUP DI-N(eesan)

Ashla tilted her head to the side at the last moment, knowing she could not avoid the attack but trying to mitigate the elbow to the face as much as she could by letting it slam and slide off her cheek instead of straight on her nose. The pain, coursing through her from the elbow's impact, fed into the dark side and without a moment's notice she grabbed the artifact clipped to her belt and with it pointing at the Sith's torso at near point blank range, she focused for but a moment to activate it.

Lightning, much stronger than a mere champion could have managed and with strength matching that at a Sith Master's disposal, would slam into the joiner Sith. At such close range, and with his lightsaber locked with hers, she hoped to catch him completely unawares with her sudden attack. She would let the attack continue, not stopping the blast of lightning as long it kept hitting the joiner Sith.

If he was knocked away from her by the blast, or forced to disengage, she would jump back, and use the distance opened up between them to focus once more on the engineers. With the strength fed by her pain still coursing through her, she would grab both with the Force and try to pull them towards her, away from the machine.

OOC: Actions in blue.

@Phoenix @Apollyon

 

[Crix Aran]

Group Treelanes​

The part about letting himself use his Darker impulses that he hated the most was the fact that he didn't hate it - not even a little bit. It was a heady feeling but he was adament that this was because of Korriban, it was because of where he was rather than it being because of who he was. He was not the same as these Sith - he was different and if that meant turning his back on an amazing feeling?

He would.

And he would do his best to try and avoid the fact that he knew he would regret turning away that accepting feeling soon. Taking a deep breath, he tried his best to focus back up. Of course the sudden self-murder by one of the Acolytes caught his attention and he turned away from Trelain for a moment to watch.

It was sort of like a speeder bike crash - you couldn't look away even if you wanted to.

Shaking his head slightly, Crix drew the dagger in his right hand and carefully eyed the Sith Master who had them all brought here. There was still a deeply rooted suspicion and he could swear something was whispering at the edge of his hearing... but he wasn't sure if the urges to sink his blade into her neck were guidance from the Force or his anger and desperation calling to the Dark Side.

"She might not be the only one who's Joined." he cautioned both of his Sith 'allies', "Do either of you know Master Trelain very well?"

His grip on the dagger tightened.

"Well enough to tell us if the Sith feeling phantom pains from elsewhere we can't detect... might just not be the person we think they should be."

Spoiler: TLDR

Crix struggles with the dark side
Draws his dagger
Is sus about Trelain's pain and calls out to the other Sith about his suspicions

@Phoenix
@GABA @Braden

 

[Sarella]

Letous Squad

​

Sarella’s concentration delved deep into the Light, and it poured forth from her fingertips accordingly - snaking outward to coil around Letous and wrack her with waves of nausea and vertigo. Before her assault could take hold, however, the Consular felt the harsh resistance that the Arcane Master erected around herself, pressing back against the effects of Malacia. With not a saber between them, it was a ferocious battle of wills - and the simple reality was that Letous’ strength easily eclipsed her own.

Rather than attempt to maintain her offensive, Sarella relinquished the Force - allowing it to fade from around Letous and conserve her own energies. It was clear that the Consular could not simply overpower the Arcane Master - and she would need to be wiser if she and the sole remaining Acolyte were to survive. While the Malacia faded, Sarella’s hands never lowered - energy once more beginning to gather between her fingers. As soon as the Arcane Master reached out and threw Kane across the room, Sarella engaged once more. With the Force at her command, the Consular abruptly rotated her right hand in a quick, clockwise motion and flicked upwards as she began to channel Aerokinesis.

Originating at Letous’ feet, Sarella sent a gust of air jetting upwards. It was a sudden application - far too weak to throw the woman off balance or damage her in its own right - but it was easily enough to carry loose particles of sand and dirt along the current. She attempted to throw the particles right into the Arcane Master’s face and eyes - hoping to momentarily blind the woman and break her concentration. In truth, she attempted only to pre-occupy and disorient Letous while Kanaloa went in for the kill.

Regardless of the effectiveness of her sudden aerokinesis, Sarella immediately began to move to her own left - quickly striding clockwise to where Letous was standing in an attempt to move into the woman’s flank, opposite where the Acolyte had been thrown. “You have already lost,” Her voice echoed melodically and bounced off the stone walls of the chamber - remarkable calm and measured despite the ferocity of their exchange. “You allowed the others to escape, and you won’t survive once your treachery is known.” She could only pray Kasim and Nova truly did escape the tunnels to reveal what Letous had done.

Spoiler: TLDR

Halting the Malacia, Sarella uses Aerokinesis in an attempt to kick dirt up into Letous’ face/eyes. She then starts moving onto her left flank.

 

[Wodan]

Trelain​

A small amount of tension lifted from the Firrerrian’s shoulders as the dark presence surrounding the room began to dissipate. Trelain regained her footing as the now psychotic looking Acolyte began smashing her head into the side of her restraints as much as possible. He had the dying urge to snuff out the woman’s life to let her free of this madness, raising his hand he took hold of the woman’s neck.

The Force energy he had welled up inside was let free, with a quick twist of his wrist the neck snapped. Ending her life, she was free now, from the Killik threat and the torment both they and the Sith would inflict on her. If any would look to question his actions he would give them an answer. “We know she’s joined, which means they could see through her. Now they can’t.”

His previous suspicions of both Trelain and the others in the room remained however. The fact Trelain didn’t move to find the answers herself gave him more pause, not wanting to turn his back on any of the three he continued to stay put, just encase.

Spoiler

Wodan snaps the neck of the Acolyte
Continues to not trust anyone however and stands in the corner so he can keep an eye on Trelain, Crix and Tiamat

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Team Trelain

The acolyte begun to bang her head against the cell wall and Tiamat took a step back, admittingly startled by the sudden change in behavior by the stoic girl. She felt on edge, senses flaring as suddenly the acolyte let out psychic scream, the noise and ripples through the Force caused Tiamat to recoil. Her mind, a fortress of its own, detecting the threat, pushed back to further protect the sith master from harm. Tiamat took a couple steps toward Master Trelain who seemed she was recovering from whatever it was that was targeting her. She confirmed what Tiamat was suspecting and they recieved their next order, further investigating the acolytes belongings.

That probably meant the others connected to her hive mind were watching them, and know the trio and Master Trelain were onto their trail. Though it seemed Wodan (@Braden) was on the same idea, putting the acolyte out of her misery as he snapped her neck; she had served her purpose, and her death in away an act of mercy. Probably not what the young acolyte thought her purpose would serve while in the Sith, but destiny had a funny way of doing that at times. Tiamat didn’t question Wodan’s actions, but Crix (@Nefieslab) seemed to question Master’s Trelain’s alignment; they all had felt the darkness in the room, the Sith Master seemingly more impacted than the rest of them. It could be possible she was Joined, as suggested by Crix. Her brow narrowed with her thoughts as she looked between Crix and Wodan.

“I don’t know Master Trelain very well, but that is a moot point, if the acolyte was joined and the Overseer is one of them, then why would she break into his office. We’ll go to her quarters as Master Trelain has ordered with caution. The acolyte has seen us, knows undoubtedly our goals and so does the hive mind.” She glanced back at Master Trelain.

“Which room was the acolytes, Master Trelain?” Tiamat asked Trelain (@Phoenix) to ensure they would not wander aimless in the student section. Once she had that information, she would make her way with the others to the acolyte’s room to investigate further. It wouldn’t be without heightened alert, who knew what they would find or even encounter on their way there. Hell, if Trelain was Joined, this could be a trap.

What Tiamat knew for certain was she would fuck up whoever got in her way to protect the Empire.

Spoiler: tl;dr

Tiamat thinks its sus that Master Trelain had the reaction to the darkness as she did, but remains focused to carry on the investigation to help identify who else is Joined.
Tiamat is on high alert, fight ready, she asks which room was the acolytes so they’re not running around aimlessly. (Dunno if Trelain was coming too…)
Tiamat remains cautious even through the halls in case they run into some baddies (bugs? Joined? They’re the baddies this time, right?)

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

GROUP D(ADDY)IN​

Annoyance flooded Aadya’s thoughts, curling her lips into a grimace as her golden eyes snapped open. Her attempt to learn any information from the Killiks had run into a roadblock. She needed to figure out how to clear that roadblock, and quickly.

With her faculties returned, Aadya slipped from the arms of the soldier carrying her and back to her own feet. The information she’d been able to glean from the Killik was like reading hieroglyphics. Nothing but a garbled mess that made absolutely no sense. She needed a translator.. Some kind of bug fuck rosetta stone. She needed a Joined, someone with a mind that was less foreign.

Aadya’s eyes snapped to the carcass of a nearby Killik and noticed it was leaking some kind of viscous goo. She’d heard about the methods the bugs used to Join others to their cause and knew that ingesting some kind of foul slime was often a part of it. Seemed like fortune favored her, at least at this moment.

You two, with me. Aadya said to two of the soldiers, beckoning them to follow her over to relative safety near one of the active AA turrets that was close by.

Hold him down, She commanded one of the soldiers, the bigger, beefier one. He would need the strength.

I am not going to lie to you, Aadya said as she took off the smaller soldier’s helmet. He was a baby faced recruit, barely a hair on his chin. This is going to hurt. But you will be giving your life for the safety of the Empire. It is your duty, and I will make sure you are honored for it. A comforting lie. No one would remember him. What is your name?

Private Bolnar, he replied, his voice laced with anxiety.

The fear was evident in the Bolnar’s eyes but he did not squirm or resist. Unfortunately, the Joining was only going to be part of the man’s pain. Aadya couldn’t risk him relaying any information back to the hivemind while he was Joined. So she would need to take away his ability to do so.

Taking off her glove, Aadya used her finger nail - overly sharp, a Firrerrean trait - and sliced both of the soldier’s eyes so that he could no longer see. Bolnar started screaming in pain, but Aadya was unphased. Blood pooled in his eyes and ran into the sand, turning it as black as the Killik slime.

Reaching out with the force, Aadya would pull the Killik carcas closer to her, tipping it up so that the Joiner sludge poured out of it like a water pitcher and went straight down Bolnar’s throat - careful to make sure that none of it touched her or the soldier holding down Bolnar.

Put your hand over his mouth. Make sure he has no choice but to swallow it, but do not let him suffocate. She instructed the other soldier.

With the battle raging around her, Aadya would wait as long as she thought she could before trying to tap into the hopefully Joined soldier’s mind. Just like before, she was not trying to breach it or force her way in. She only wanted to hear what they were already saying.

Hopefully she would be able to understand it this time. If she was met with the same nonsensical garbled bullshit she was before, Aadya would abandon this plan and look to Altair’s command for what she should do next

OOC: Actions in white

@Phoenix @Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Group Din

Music​

Altair almost collapsed on the ground from the sheer magnitude of the losses he was taking. He sensed countless lives snuffed out around him, the lives of his Imperials. He had grown to know them, he had camped out with them, he knew about their families. And they were treated no different than insects, squashed and erased without thought. He felt the urge to vomit, but he couldn’t stop now. He breathed heavily into his helmet, wanting to toss it off because he suddenly felt as if he was suffocating in it.

However, he knew he couldn’t let his men see his face - he couldn’t let them see the despair and pain in his eyes or the way tears threatened to well up. He was way out of his element. This was no training exercise. This was no simulation. This was all real. Everything slowed down as he saw his people butchered. He couldn’t stop for all of them, he needed to remember that their sacrifices mattered. He needed to see that for each death, it was one step closer to making this horror stop.

As he ran, he pulled up his comms and tapped into the channels connecting to the Imperials manning the fleets above. Altair looked over his shoulder and could see the Killik forces continuing to flood into the building. The tactical retreat from the back was effective in luring more of them inside, “Send any bombers you can spare down towards the temples,” He rapidly addressed the shared channel, “Command center building has been compromised. Execute a joint missile strike before the Killik forces can exit the building!” The majority of grounded Killik forces would have chased them into the building by now, the goal of the airstrike to completely wipe them out at once.

Altair found cover in a tower across from the one Aadya was in, his gaze on the building they just left. He wanted to have visual on the entire thing collapsing on top of those fucking bugs. He spoke into the comms to address the Imperials manning the towers, “Target any and all Killik ships as soon as they descend! Don’t let a single one of them make it to ground!” He paused for a moment, still unsure how Aadya was faring. He was counting on her to begin relaying any information that would give them advantage.

Altair switched channels and spoke again, "Ash..how're things going?" (@Wit)

@Phoenix

 

[Kanaloa Tau]

Group Letous [Nexus Room]

Muse Music​

Kane's spear ran short of his target, an intangible iron collar snapped around his neck while he pushed forward against it. His snarl was cut short by choking, not getting as close as he wanted, instead tossed pathetically aside toward his right. He twisted and curled his body in the air in an attempt to maintain bodily control after being thrown with mixed success, calling on the Force. It was terrifying and humbling how much stronger in the Force she was, making him even angrier. His neck ached, certainly bruised, but he was still fighting.

Sarella seemed the focus of Letous' ire instead, no doubt helped by her greater experience, dialogue, and the simple fact of being a Jedi. Maybe something the wily Wrean could take advantage of. Wind gathered and rose upward with a cloud of stone dust and sand to blind the Arcane Master, hopefully at least drawing her attention further from the lowly, if willful, acolyte she'd tossed away. He wasn't a real threat, not by Letous' reckoning.

Kanaloa's power had been gathering in his spear, empowering the weapon and his control of it. He was free of Letous' grip after she threw him. The Wrean shaman-to-be's greatest weapon wasn't his spear, but the Force and its most esoteric pathways. So he prayed quickly in silence to the ancestor spirits of legendary spear masters as he flew, during everything else. He prayed to the recently departed spirit of the great warrior Eriction, unmatched swordsman of Korriban and brilliant tactician. He prayed that his weapon found its mark, achieved vengeance, and paved his way on the path of the Sith.

May my hand be guided by those fearsome and vengeful dead, you hunters, you warriors, you souls of war greater than I. For as I walk through the shadow of the valley of death, I wield my spear in your name. Master Eriction, your killer awaits judgment. When my spear moves, let it strike like a thunderbolt.

And perhaps, in this place of eldritch power, this deep-rooted nexus of the Dark Side that Kane had just recently swam through and attuned with, his invocation would be answered. From here, the place that had directly resulted in Eriction's untimely death just minutes ago, the fallen First Blade might just hear that siren call of karmic revenge.

Kane harshly struck and skidded on the ground free of Letous' grip, pain rattling through him as he landed near Llolith's drained corpse, teeth grit. He rolled over his shoulder and scrambled to rise to a kneel, spear held aloft out of the Arcane Master's immediate line of sight. While Sarella's Aerokinesis launched sand up toward the Arcane Master's face, Kane's arm swung forward to fling the weapon, guided and sped on its way by the Force like an oversized arrow to impale her with everything he had. He did not command it. With all his fear and fury, he willed that the current would carry it where it was meant to fly.

@Phoenix @Altaris

Spoiler: TLDR

Kane's spear attack falls short and he's flung aside and let go by Letous, landing roughly but rolling to a kneel. He attempts some shaman-y Force prayer to ancestor spirits and the recently dead Eriction to guide/empower his attack through the Nexus and throws it to hit Letous while she's being Sand Attacked by Sarella. Shaman-y Force prayer thing in Italic Gold. Combat actions are RED UNDERLINED BOLD.

 

[The Gatekeeper]

Group Din​

@Lucas Orum would gather the Force to himself and push out against the duo of enemies, which wasn't a terrible plan, but unfortunately he was only an acolyte and a fresh one at that. His impact lacked the power of a Master or even a Champion.

Rather than knocking his targets back multiple meters, they were simply knocked back a step before renewing their attacks. As Lucas launched his attacks against the Killik in front of him, the Killik slammed its spear against one of the Sith's weapons but the other cleaved through as intended. However, this came at a cost. The Killik behind him - not knocked back nearly as far as Lucas had intended due to overestimating his own power - thrust forward with his spear against an undefended back with an unexpected attack. The spear would almost inevitably skewer the Sith and even if he managed to still kill the attacker, would almost certainly be akin to incapacitated.

Across the room @Ashla Ti was having slightly more luck. The Sith warrior didn't feel a flux in the Force that would herald an eruption of lightning, and so he never saw it coming. He was knocked back several meters and his body scorched by the torrent of lightning. It took him several moments to scramble back to his feet and even then he was much the worse for wear.

She was successful in dragging the engineers away from the device and it was the only thing that saved them from a fate worse than death, though now the two engineers produced blasters from their hips and began to fire at her. Soon she would be contending with not only the engineers but the Sith and possibly a remaining Killik. She would have to work quickly.

@Altair Din would manage to get through to the soldiers in the Navy but he would note there was a hint of hesitation in the men's responses. It was difficult to tell these days who was a Joined and who was a true friend to the Empire.

Airstrikes inbound Champion Din. Standby for effect, the operator said. Altair received... most of what he asked for. Bombers strafed down low, dropping a heavy barrage of proton bombs on the Killik forces advancing on the Command Center.

The upside was that dozens or perhaps hundreds of the Killiks were destroyed in a single go, turned to red past by the detonations. The downside was that the Command Center had not been destroyed and those inside had survived. Even on the Orders of a Sith on the ground, the Navy wasn't willing to blow up the security center.

The troops in the AA towers were also managing to tear through the majority of the dropships coming down and for a moment it appeared they may have stemmed the bleeding of the invasion. Even so, Killiks from the Security building still managed to mill about, sending fire toward the defenders but in a far less meaningful manner.

@Aadya Rasheer would never forget the sounds that Bolnar made as she sliced out his eyes. Screaming and wailing, begging and pleading, calling for his wife and his mother, anyone who would come to help him or listen. He continued screaming as the sludge poured into his mouth, the gurgling and choking sound would, for a moment, make her wonder if he had simply drowned in the Killik Juice.

If she looked over, she would see the horror and hatred on the face of the trooper who had "assisted" her in the conversion. But converted he was. The squirming seemed to subside for a moment and when she tapped into his mind, she would begin to hear the echoed orders of the Hivemind.

The sheer weight of what she was now exposed to would force her to narrow and discipline her mind, focusing in on what precisely she wanted to know or risk being completely overwhelmed.

Group Trelain​

Trelain turned a furious eye on @Wodan as he killed the Acolyte. That's why we blindfold her and deafen her. Sensory deprivation. You just executed an incredibly valuable asset. We could have tapped into her to listen to everything in the Hivemind, she said angrily. She would have lashed out and cut him down but they needed every able-bodied hand at this point. But she would remember.

Room 1237, she responded to Tiamat. Her tolerance for the Master was higher than that for either the Jedi or the Acolyte.

Report back to me if you find anything. I have something else I have to take care of, she said. She offered no explanation and she turned to leave at once. They would have to survive their own investigation. Trelain had an appointment elsewhere.

As @Tiamat, @Crix Aran, and @Wodan made their way to the Acolytes room, they would sense the presence of someone else inside already, though who that was was difficult to say. What was clear was that whoever it was was strong in the Force.

Group Letous​

In the bowels of Korriban @Kasim Din and @Nova Trent would struggle to remember the direction they were supposed to be going. They twisted left and right through the tunnels and would begin to hear the sounds of skittering and even what might be a lightsaber blade ringing through the darkness. They would be forced to decide between their options of pressing on, investigating the sound, or hunkering down and hoping that it would pass.

Back with Master Letous @Kanaloa Tau and @Sarella would hear a sickening laughter escape from the Sith Lord, seemingly totally unconcerned with the assertions made by the Jedi.

And you're a blind idiot. I'll take advice from you after I'm dead. Oh, but you're too afraid to do that, I'm sure, she hissed.

As the Jedi whipped up winds and sand against the Sith Master, Letous didn't try to block it but she did close her eyes. To someone like her, a master of the dark side, sight was nothing. Even the Jedi knew that your eyes could deceive you and you could not trust them. Down here, she was one with her nexus. She was the Jedi, she was the Jedi's intent, she was every particle of sand that was thrown in her face, she was the acolyte that hurled his spear at her, and she was the spear itself.

She sensed it before it arrived, the power that flew behind it, and perhaps even the spirits that helped guide it. It very nearly found its mark, but very nearly didn't count for spears. She stepped to the side in a blur as the weapon flew by, hand already outstretched to spray a field of lightning directly into the undefended acolyte, its power enough to absolutely decimate the undefended and hinting in the Force at the true power of their adversary.

 

[Sarella]

Sarella didn’t immediately respond to Letous’ taunts. Instead, the Consular continues to walk her wide circle at the edge of the chamber - watching the Sith Master’s every move. She expected retaliation. She expected the Darkness in all of its raw power. But nothing could have prepared Sarella for what Kane invoked all around them.

From the moment Sarella entered the caverns of Korriban, she could feel the Darkness that crawled at her mind and soul, testing the boundaries of her mental defenses and internal serenity. The Light was far more distant in such a place - and it had taken every bit of her concentration to withstand the ritual from before. But now? Sarella felt the power that Kane called forth to imbue his spear and carry the blade forward. She felt the twisted and corrupted energies of the Dark Side, and perhaps too the vengeful spirits that answered his call. They suffused the chamber all around them - and for all the ways it was a boon to Kanaloa, it was the Consular’s downfall.

Distracted by her engagement with Letous and tired from the ritual, Sarella had no defense against the dark, twisted influence of the Corrupted Nexus. It found the cracks within her resolve and burrowed deep without remorse - seeding deep into her heart and filling her mind with its relentless whispers. Like the darkest storm clouds that blotted the sky, the Darkness washed over the Consular and filled her with an unmistakable sense of dread - and for the first time since she entered the caverns, Sarella began to allow panic to seep into her core.

Like the scent of blood in the water, the Darkness closed in one that panic and anxiety like the predator it was. It swarmed and assaulted her without remorse, and the whispers rang like a choir that could not be ignored. Sarella saw the power that Letous wielded and the futility of their fight in the same glance - certainly not after her ‘allies’, if they could be called such, had abandoned her. She saw the writing on the wall, and knew that to remain in chamber was folly - when she could just as well escape with the knowledge gained and sentiment she had tried to help.

The Darkness clouded her mind, and through its lens, Sarella saw Kane. Weaker and younger still - and in that moment felt nothing for the Acolyte. He was Sith. Undoubted to bring nothing but suffering upon the Galaxy if he grew and blossomed in strength - perhaps it would be better if the Acolyte perished in that moment at the hands of another Sith. If only it cleared her own path out.

Whatever will to endure the fight had vanished, and only singular purpose remained within the Knight. Just as Letous began to unleash her barrage of Lightning upon Kane, Sarella took her opportunity. The Force billowed from her fingertips - every bit of the strength she had remaining and that she could reasonably call forth - and unleashed it as a concussive blast into Letous, attempting to knock the Arcane Master backwards and potentially into one of the blue flame braziers. She didn’t need to injury the woman, or even incapacitate her for long. She only needed a window to get away.

Cutting her losses and turning on a heel, Sarella bolted towards the arched doorway. Beyond it was home, and refuge from the dread she felt. With the knowledge of the Kilik’s she gained, it was all she could hope for. And all the while, Sarella didn’t spare a glance to Kane.

Whether he lived or died, Sarella didn’t care. Perhaps she would, in time. Perhaps her actions would come to haunt her, when the shadow of the Nexus no longer loomed over her. But in that moment, she felt nothing at all.

Spoiler: TLDR

Due to the spirit-y ritual Kane conducts, Sarella finally breaks and under the influence of the Dark Nexus. Panicking, Sarella attempts to Force-Push Letous and book it towards the exit - cutting her losses and running.

@Phoenix

 

[Wodan]

The Golden Trio​

Wodan chewed the inside of his mouth, his hands bunched into fists, as Trelain shouted down the Acolyte. Perhaps the woman had gone a little soft in the head, the Acolyte was neither blindfolded or deafened, otherwise how would they have been able to question her? But he kept his mouth shut, the last thing he needed was an overly pent up Sith Master letting out her anger on the Firrerrian.

Taking a deep breath, he turned towards the other two. “Shall we?” He said, trying to sound relaxed, though anyone with a pair of working ears could tell it was forced. Wodan followed behind the other two, he knew that if anything was out there it was probably best that the Sith Master and Jedi Knight were first into the foray, not the little Acolyte.

Wodan would give the pair directions knowing the internals of the Academy well. As they neared room 1237 they all felt the presence of something, no, someone powerful within The Force. Sweat began to pool on the back of his neck as the dominating presence got closer. When they got close to the door, Wodan would tap the Jedi on the shoulder. If the Zabrak turned around he would find the Sith’s lightsaber held out towards him.

Wodan looked the Jedi in the eye. “Better than that rusty vibroblade.” He said with a forced smile. “Although I will need it back after.” Wodan would then take up a position behind the other two, keeping an eye on the surrounding corridors.

Spoiler

Wodan guides the others towards Room 1237, then offers his Saber to Crix before taking up a position behind the others keeping an eye out on the surrounding corridors.

@Phoenix

 

[Crix Aran]

Group Treelanes​

Hell and Sith bits.

Trelain was chewing out the Acolute, Wodan, something fierce and it took Crix literally biting the inside of his cheek to keep himself from making a comment about it. So much so that as soon as Trelain turned away, Crix had to turn to one side and spit out some of the blood he'd drawn with his own teeth.

This planet and the Sith on it were going to be the death of him or he was going to finally give in and be the death of some of them - before the rest welcomed him with open arms. It was a tradition that he just couldn't wrap his head around but he did his best to put the thought out of his mind as he walked with Wodan and Tia.

"What could possibly go wrong?" he tempted fate deliberately, "If this is going as I expect... I fear we might need to be very much on guard."

He still didn't trust Trelain but he wasn't sure if it was simply because Jedi vs Sith or if it was legitimately a concern that she might be Joined. Crix led the way toward the door, almost comfortable in his role as fodder at this point, but it came as a surprise when Wodan offered him a lightsaber.

Crix took the lightsaber on instinct... he could feel the way the crystal screamed at him through the Force, twisted, broken and raging in pain. He blinked as he eyed the lightsaber for a second.

"... how do you ever stop hearing it?" he asked quietly before taking a deep breath, "I'll be glad to give it back - wish me luck."

There was something inside the room and Crix wanted to make sure he was ready - he gathered the Force to himself and ignited the red blade of the lightsaber, holding it in his right hand ahead of him as he opened the door. If it needed a keycard he would let someone else use the keycard before taking a quick three steps through the door, the lightsaber casting the room with red light, giving Crix light to look around the room for the presence he had felt.

Spoiler: TLDR

Crix thinks Trelain is setting them up
Takes Wodan's lightsaber but is very uncomfortable with it
Steps into the room with the lightsaber on and drawing the Force to himself
Looks for the presence he felt

@Phoenix
@GABA @Braden

 

[Lucas Orum]

Lucas’ chainsword clanged into the Killik’s spear as he made his attack, the impact was jarring as vibrations climbed his arm and forced him to lose his grip on the weapon. However, even as the roar of the chainsword fell silent, the red blade of his lightsaber cut true and carved the filthy insectoid in two. There was no time for celebrations however, for as Lucas moved to turn about and face his final foe the punishment for his own hubris struck.

Pain lanced up from his lower left back as the blade of the Killik’s spear imbedded itself into him. He howls in agony as electricity rippled through his nerves frying them as the currents arced in his flesh searing whatever it met. As a reaction, Lucas’ free hand snapped backwards, gripped the haft of the spear, and locking it in place. Between his own massive physique and the adrenaline pumping through his system it would be difficult for the Killik to dislodge the weapon from his back. Lucas would quickly flip his lightsaber into a reversed grip, activated the blade lock mechanism and flung the blade behind him. He would glance over his right shoulder as he did this to better guide the blade crudely through the Dark Side and ensure it slammed the crimson edge into the Killik’s center of mass. While Lucas was certain he would go down, he at least wanted to ensure that he didn’t go down alone, he would bring all five of the bastards to the gates of hell with him.

Regardless of if the blade found it’s mark or not, Lucas would collapse to his knees, the pain quickly overwhelming him. Black rings began to form around the edges of his eyes, he faintly heard the Altair's voice in his communications bead.

"Bad." He replied, his voice rapidly weakening. "Peedee is dead." He continued. "Champion Ti is engaged with an armored Sith. They were building something down here." He explained. "And I think I am dying..." Lucas's voice tapered off as he lost the strength to speak.

Even as he spoke, Lucas knew his fate was entirely in Ashla's hands even as the sweet release of unconsciousness overtook him, he watched the duel between Ashla and the unknown Sith play out. Eventually, his forced kneel turned into a slump as Lucas finally passed out from his wound.

@Phoenix @Wit @Sreeya
Actions are in blue

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

GROUP D(ADDY)IN​

The seconds seemed to tick by like hours as Aadya waited to see if her plan in joining Private Bolund would succeed. Her eyes flicked up for just a moment to see how the other soldier was faring, and in return she only received the iced over stare of little more than absolute loathing.

She understood, of course. Aadya had essentially forced the man to hold down one of his own while she delivered a fate worse than death. It's likely the man would never forget the sounds of his brother in arms screaming, crying out for his mother in that way men only did when they were honestly, truly afraid. That primal kind of fear that made you empty your bladder and the only safe place in the galaxy you could think of was with your mom.

That said, Private Bolund would never get what he had been pleading for. Instead, his mind would meld into the Killik Hive and he would lose any sense of self that he'd ever had. Bolund was nothing more than a cog in a grand machine, now. Irrevocably lost, a pawn sacrificed the way pawns often were. There was little pity in Aadya's heart for him. She was doing her job, what Altair had asked - commanded? - her to do.

And on the bright side, at least he wasn't screaming anymore.

As Aadya once again brought herself to the bedroom door of the Killik hivemind, she was assaulted by the sheer magnitude of processes that were occurring.. but she could understand what was coming through, at least to a degree. She needed to tighten her search, alter the parameters to something much more defined and useful. But by the Force, she'd Rosetta Stoned Bolund into being infinitely more useful than he ever would have been otherwise.

The most pressing concern, to her, was preventing more Killiks from landing planet side. The Imperial Navy needed a leg up, something they could exploit. So that is what she listened for. Carefully and methodically, Aadya pressed her ear to the keyhole and listened. Things whizzed by her peripheries as Aadya waded through the Killik quagmire, finally latching onto something she could relay.

Retreating herself from the the mind of the Joined, Aadya immediately pulled up her commlink and tuned it to the channels used by Altair earlier to speak to those manning the fleets above. Before she spoke, however, Aadya would make a concerted effort to be as careful as possible not to let the Hive know that she'd learned anything. Out of earshot of her Killik Ouija board, she'd relay her message.

Admirals - this is Champion Rasheer down planet side. There are ships on the edge of the Killik formations that have already sustained damage from previous fights. Flank them and use that as your route to disrupt the advances and sew chaos,* She said, each word coming out faster than the one before it. Adrenaline was pumping through Aadya's veins like battery acid. She'd never done anything like she'd just done before. It was as exhilarating as it was terrifying.

There is a contigent of Killik fighters hidden behind Moraband intent on a suicide run. You must intercept them before they realize we know what they are up to, or we're all fucked down here.* Pausing for a moment, Aadya decided to preempt what she expected she might hear in return. And before you ask, it doesn't matter how I got this information. It's as from the source as you can get, so don't waste my time by not doing exactly what I fucking say. Despite the jitters she was feeling in her body, Aadya's voice was commanding and resolute.

Turning to the soldier that was with Bolund, Aadya would instruct him to restrain the Joined and do his best to keep him alive.

With the information relayed, Aadya would look to return to the battlefield, scanning her surroundings to find Altair. If they were going to succeed and make it off of this hellhole alive, she was convinced it would need to be together; fighting back to back, intrinsically tied by what once was, what currently is, and.. what could be again.

But now was not the time to think about that.

OOC: Actions in white
*Information provided by Phoenix

@Phoenix @Sreeya

 

[Nova Trent]

Tunnel Exploration Crew​

They ventured further into the tunnels and it didn't seem like they were getting any closer to the exit. Each and every corridor looked the same and there where no actual points of orientation, so they just had to go on. However sooner or later, there were not just their quick steps that echoed through the tunnels. Nova immediately activated her red lightsaber and glanced into the direction of the sound of the Killiks, but urged Kasim (@SlagathorTheUnknown) to move on. "Let's keep on moving...we'll find our way out".

Even if that lightsaber sound was this strange champion, Nova would rather just want to avoid that weird crab and so following the lightsaber sound was not an option. Neither was heading towards the Killik, or waiting for them to find them, so their only option was to go on and try to escape that labyrinth to inform someone. And then they would go for that white haired lettuce bitch. "We will..." she repeated in terms of dealing with Leotus. The rage was still burning inside her, but a slight panic set in as they found themselves slightly lost.

@Phoenix

Spoiler: TLDR

Nova urges Kasim to carry on, neither investigating the Killik sound, nor the lightsaber and they definitely keep on moving

 

[Kasim Din]

Group 3 (Team Tunnels)​

Anger and fear were the two things that were found in abundance on Korriban. As the rage of Letous' betrayal began abating somewhat, it was replaced by uncertainty and fear as turns and tunnels failed to look familiar to the Tiefling. Sounds echoed through the tunnels; the dripping of water, the scurry of vermin, the scurrying of things definitely bigger than rats, and his own heart pounding in his chest.

I just want to go home! Kasim thought, then rebuked himself. Hadn't he wanted adventure, and exciting stories to tell his fellow Dinlings? The thought made him think longingly about his older brother Altair, whom he had seen before descending into this place. He'd feel much safer when they reunited. (@Sreeya)

For now, though, a choice presented itself; investigate the sounds of what might be combat, hide, or press on in hopes of leaving. Nova seemed content to keep moving, which Kasim disagreed with. "What if it's someone who can help us? Sounds almost like a lightsaber" he whispered, straining to discern the nature of the noises. Given that Nova was already moving on he decided to stay with her as opposed to getting lost. "You do know the way out of here, right?" he asked her quietly. (@LadyRen)

Kasim would continue to walk with Nova, keeping his eyes and ears on the lookout for potential dangers or familiar sections of tunnel. At least he wasn't alone down here.

@Phoenix

Spoiler: Kasim's actions

Kasim stays with Nova as they decided to continue exploring for the way out rather than investigate the sounds or hide

 

[Altair Din]

Group Din
​

Altair gritted his teeth as his orders weren’t completely followed. The building was still standing, but thankfully the Killik that flowed outside of it were systematically killed. The tiefling heard Aadya’s message over the comms and he grimaced. He didn’t want to think about what she had done to get that intel, and it was yet another result of the kind of orders he gave. His words were causing real life impact and he would have to live with his choices. Altair saw many of his men fall in battle and the sight had been jarring. He hadn’t processed it fully, and he had no choice but to compartmentalize for now.

He wanted to scream into the comms and yell at the pilots for not destroying the building, but he knew it would only make him appear unstable. Aadya’s demands and being obscure about how she got the information may have made the Navy suspicious as well. Altair rubbed his temples and commanded the men immediately around him first, addressing anyone that wasn’t manning the towers, “Keep defensive fire going sparingly. We want to lure them out of that building and into the open.”

Altair popped back over to address the Naval channels, “This is Champion Din, Imperial Lieutenant, once again requesting an air strike on the security building,” He began, keeping his voice as level headed as possible. Inwardly he wanted nothing more than to beat the living hell out of these people. He hoped a quick explanation would remove the hesitation, “The Killik have destroyed the security consoles and the building has been compromised. We made a tactical retreat to take manual control of the towers. We’re in the process of engaging any Killik dropships entering the atmosphere - the bomber pilots can confirm that visual for you right now,” He had to convince them he wasn’t Joined, “We’ve been able to provide intel on their movements because… we’ve regrettably lost one of our troops to the hivemind, but Champion Rasheer has contained the situation,” Altair didn’t want to risk the admirals growing even more suspicious and unwilling to cooperate if they perceived Aadya as threatening them as a Joined, “Validate the Hivemind intel and execute an airstrike on the security building. We’re taking heavy casualties down here and don’t have time. Superiority in the aerial engagement is critical to the success of this mission.”

Altair stayed behind cover for now, but if any Killik advanced from the building that he could spot, he would use the Force to drag them outside to serve as target for his men and the bombers. Meanwhile, the towers continued to target and fire aggressively on any dropships to destroy them before they could dump their payload.

He heard the acolyte chime in through the comms, “Shit hang in there!! I’ll send backup troops once we blow this building!” As promised, if the security building was destroyed as requested, a group of twenty Imperials would rush to provide aid to Ashla and Lucas.

@Phoenix