It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn (Closed/Ask)

[Demiurge]

River had only been to Kashyyyk once in her life, but it was among her most memorable experiences. and in spite of that, the lush and towering wroshyr trees, the vast oceans, even the mountainous regions were adamantly imprinted into her memories. Not for its outstanding environment in it of itself, but for it being a terrestrial world - the first River had ever seen. In the space controlled by the Hutts, all worlds were exploited for their natural resources, setting up mining installations and factories planet-side, or were dug up as land for the settlement of businesses and industries. Seeing a non-urban jungle was the most memorable thing she possessed after joining the Shade Order. But in that short time she was there, even she'd heard of the almost mythical Shadowlands.

She'd never been there, but she'd heard the tales. The surface beneath the kilometer high trees created nothing short of perpetual darkness on the ground, as if it were in a constant night. Bustling with some of the vicious and savage predators in the entire Mid Rim sector, the Shadowlands were used in a ceremonial rite of passage for young Wookiees, usually male, and in addition, it was also -fittingly so - used as a place of exile for 'rogue' Wookiees. From what River understood, the Wookiees tended to embrace the 'eye for an eye' philosophy. The price for murder was death, the price for thief was giving double back to the victim, and so on. To be honest, River herself didn't know how one would get banishment, except perhaps breaking a moral law.

Civilizations based upon the system of honor tended to have high moral codes and strict sets of behaviors and beliefs. That was all she could imagine, but at any rate, the Shadowlands was never a place River envisioned herself as having to ever enter. As fate would have it, she would. She'd heard that there was a outpost used by the Shade Order traveling in the Mid Rim, and that it was also placed in the Shadowlands. And then one day, a group of darksiders appeared, and like all darksiders, they attacked unprovoked. But the Dark Side aura around them was undeniable. The outpost was either destroyed or everyone is dead. Either way, all communication was cut off, and it was the duty of the Shades to never abandon their own, assuming any were left.

Alongside fellow Shade Knight, Raiden KasMelan, and a Shade Master, Valek Dagger, River was chosen as part of the emergency team sent to the outpost. Piloting a G78 Maedus-class transport shuttle, River brought the transport shuttle over the outskirts of section of forests, and began landing procedures, adjusting the propulsion output and altitude balancing systems of the vessel. "It's way too thick for me to land in there. Sorry, boys, looks like we're going in for an early landing. We'll have a bit of walking to do."

 

[FaMiLy]

Whenever I heard about the unexpected attack on the Order's outpost located in the Shadowlands, I was afraid that we had lost our fellow Shades. Valek Dagger a shade master and Shade knight River were accompanying me, as I was accompanying them.

I had little belief that our stranded Shades were alive. If they were, they are very fortunate, but it was our assignment to detect them. River was piloting the ship, landing early. I was eager to find what these dark species/creatures were. Landing into the crepuscule area of the shadowlands.

I was ready to face darkness.

(Sorry bout the shortness, did this while I was on break, ;P)

 

[Phil]

Valek stood in the corner of the shuttle, slightly away from the others as he started to prep his custom Dagger model semi-assault rifle. It was a deadly rifle that had a three round burst of armor piercing rounds, with a thirty round clip and 4 clips on back up, he knew it would come in handy incase they ran into any hostiles. He also had with his his custom Magnum and Lightsaber, hidden away inside his longcoat.

Valek had come prepared not just with weapons, but also attire. He wore his light weight black armor, with his black leather trench coat covering it as he had his helmet covering his head as always. When he finally finished going over his rifle, he slung it over his back in a sling as he turned towards River who was piloting. He grabbed a handle above him as they came in towards landing, waiting for them to land so they could disembark and investigate who was attacking them.

 

[Demiurge]

River headed toward the loading ramp of the shuttle, walking past the other two Jedi along the way. She'd known the heavily-armed Shade Master - Valek, having met him some time ago on Tatooine, when she discovered that the Shade Order was reorganizing. But she'd never seen Raiden before, his face was new to her.

River lowered the loading ramp on the ship, which slowly reclined, revealing a dense, dark jungle outside. River hesitated walking off the ramp, and gripped her lightsaber off of her belt, and into her hand. She had blasters with her, but for her, sometimes she just wanted to put her faith in something that wouldn't fail her if the situation suddenly turned for the worst.

River hadn't even stepped out before she heard the hissing and howling of the creatures of the Shadowlands. The dark didn't affect her on seeing life and energy, but at the same time, the Force was in abundance. Everything was clustered, overflowing with life. And it made seeing all the more difficult. It was hard to focus, seeing everything at once in such magnitude. "Okay, guess this is it." she said, walking down out of the ship. Once River hit the ground, she felt as if every creature for kilometers around knew she was there. "Yeah, this is a perfect place to have an outpost."

 

[FaMiLy]

I laughed inside, this outpost was such poor coordinates to place the outpost. I felt the force sense the mischievous creatures from the shadowlands. I to, grabbed onto my saber hilt, as I seen the other Knight River doing. I lacked the coordination of the others. In an earlier research my eye had failed me, I had hoped that it'd be better before this mission. But I wasn't planning on it, it wouldn't stop me.

I stepped down upon the ground, I then waited for Shade Master Valek Dagger to continue to guide us. I was obedient to the Shade Order. I followed it's rules and it's way of life. Therefore Valek was ahead of both me and River, I looked at him as the captain of the little crew that the Shade Order had selected. If anything I was the researcher, the scholar of the crew. I loved seeking to find the knowledge that others knew. Therefore, I have read many books and the Shade Order allowed me to do so. I tapped into my intelligence as a attack method. Academics were important to me. I'm sure we all had our strong methods that we relied on.

I was ready.

 

[Phil]

Valek had stepped off the shuttle with the others, his hands tucked into his pockets as they gently gripped his magnum and lightsaber as he looked at the surrounding area. Scanning through his helmet at the landing area, he turned towards River and Raiden.

"Area is clear. No other entities in area besides us. Suggest we move to outpost. May find more clues there."

He spoke in his monotonic sentence fragments, removing his hands from his pockets as he held his lightsaber in his left hand and the magnum in the right. He decided to take lead as he walked at a normal pace, going faster if the others could keep up.

 

[Phil]

((Bump. I think Family ditched the site again, Xeno. Want to continue on without him?))

 

[Demiurge]

((Yeah, might as well. I also didn't realize it was my turn to post, so thanks for that))

River made a quite laugh as she exhaled sharply. She'd been with Valek Dagger a time or two before, but the way he talked and wore that weird helmet never ceased to bewilder her.

"Master, I swear, you talk like a war droid." she said amused.

But as things were, it wasn't the creatures that weren't around in the area - once that they could have seen - that worried her. It was the ones that she couldn't see. And something was watching them. Not in the conventional way, but somehow.

As River took a few steps ahead of Valek, she paused, and sighed irritatedly. "I, uh, assume you know the direction, right?"

 

[Phil]

Valek never said anything about the wardroid comment, knowing that he always talked the way he did. However, when River made mention of the direction they were going, he shook his head.

"No, only going by directions given."

He spoke, turning towards where they were to go, though he did not sense anyone in that direction. Which meant no one was waiting for them there or there was someone hiding their presence.

"Shade survivors not likely to be encountered. The attackers, however, are. Stay close and keep your senses active, wookiees and animals aren't only ones who walk these grounds."

He warned, removing one hand from his pocket that gripped his magnum. If fired at someone and hit, the impact would be fatal or near fatal, and the noise would likely scare off any lesser threats.

 

[Rev]

((Hopefully this works for now, been awhile since I've been active))

Tainted eyes watched the group that had gathered at what was once an upscale outpost. Their leader, cloaked in dark robes hugged one of the Wroshyr trees tightly, claws digging into the hard wood. Focusing the Force to his eyes his vision seemed to improve behind the goggled that also masked his face. As if the narrow lens magnified the beings before him to near telescopic ability he stared. One appeared to be the leader the other obviously a follower, and they moved much like the others who had tainted their land only days prior.

"More arrive, my brothers..."

The telepathic message seemed to carry out for several hundred meters to any who wished to listen, including the Shade Order before them. The responses came in various tones, all men responding in low voices holding little to no emotion. Had he not been prepared for such a response even the leader, Kur'kesh, would have gotten a chill up his spine.

"Silence my brothers... we stalk our prey now.."

This would be the last the Shade Order would hear of the voices that seemed to carry out through the Shadowlands. The sounds bouncing off the hundreds of trees entrancing any who dared chase the voices. Looking around Kur'kesh could see his fellow Dark Jedi leaping from tree to tree, following the group that had assembled. Only moving when it was completely necessary and only when they would not be noticed.

 

[Demiurge]

"More arrive, my brothers..."

At the sound of the voice, River made a sudden reflexive gasp, inhaling so sharply it felt as if it blistered her throat. Almost immediately after, River coughed slightly, recovering from the instinctive reaction. River gripped her lightsaber tightly and turned slowly to Valek.

"Tell me you didn't hear that." she said, almost hopefully.

A mere moment later, the same voice returned;

"Silence my brothers... we stalk our prey now.."

River jerked her head, looking to where the voice was heralding. She knew she wasn't simply hearing things before, this was real.

"Telepathy", she said, still reaching out with her Force-imbued vision, "I guess we officially know what happened to the outpost". She continued to attempt to stretch out, to attempt to see where the assailants were hiding, but it still remained blurred. It wasn't the abundance of life anymore - she knew that now. It was something else, something worse. The Dark Side of the Force, its presence. She could still see, but her range was dulled to her proximity.

"But, doesn't something seem a little... odd? They're not even trying to shield their thoughts from us. So, what do you think, they're playing the intimidation card?"

 

[Phil]

"Possibly. Toying with us, want to put fear into us."

Valek spoke, the filter on his helmet now softened enough for only River to hear. Not that it mattered now. He held a good grip on his lightsaber and magnum, ready incase they sprang into an attack. They were all around him and River, he knew it and she knew it.

"Could attack us at any moment. Don't let guard down at any moment."

He spoke, carefully aiming his magnum at some parts of the forrest where he felt another was. Things would possibly be getting violent any moment... Or worse, they could have powers that effected the mind where they didn't even need to attack.

 

[Rev]

Kur'kesh watched the two slowly walk from the canopy above. They're pace had slowed since the Dark Jedi had chosen to show themselves, he could even sense some minimal fear. Releasing his grip from the tree his limbs hugged the bark as he slid down it with ease. Hitting the ground without a sound his pace quickened as he sprinted across the forest bed.

"Prepare the beasts..."

This time the Dark Jedi's telepathy was personal, sent only to those who were allied to him. He was given no response, as he wished for it to be. Two of the Dark Jedi each held a creature native to the Shadowlands through the Force. Each waited rather impatiently as Valek and River approached two of the mammoth sized trees crossing the path, the broken Jedi released the creatures from their bind and onto the Shades.

The first creature was a Katarn, savage to the Shadowlands and attacking what Kur'kesh had perceived to be the weaker of the two, the girl. The reptomammal sprinted out at River with a ferocious speed, using its claws it dug into one of the wroshyr and quickly ascended into the canopy before leaping down from the skies it would seem. Targeting its deadly spurs from its hind legs at the hopefully unsuspecting Shade.

At that same instant the other Dark Jedi released one of the native Terentatek's on Valek. It had earlier done a great deal of damage to the Shade outpost and search parties. It surely was an ordeal trying to befriend the beast after its release, but even if they couldn't get it back perhaps killing off the Shades here would end the search parties. However, the release of the Terentatek came at a cost, the Dark Jedi whom released it quickly had his life taken by the almost un-controllable beast. It would charge at Vanek lowering its shoulder ready to charge its spiked back into the Shade Master. The Dark-Side beast could sense the Force Energy of the two Shades before it, and it craved their energy...

 

[Demiurge]

As the beasts were released, and further, directed at the two Shades, River's mind and sight were locked onto the Terentatek. Never before had she seen such a hideous monstrosity, neither in form nor presence. It caught her attention to such a degree, that for the briefest of moments, she hadn't even noticed the Katarn descending above her.

Without enough time to safely evade and recover to respond to the attack, River decided to meet it head on. Igniting her lightsaber, River immediately swung her white blade horizontally, and released it, hurling it straight through the Katarn's jaw, and into its skull. As she did, River used the Force to jump away, but because she sacrificed speed for the precision to also attack, the heavy claw of the falling Katarn came down on her, knocking her back, into the ground and soon against the base of a wroshyr tree.

Taking a breath, River slowly got up. "Dammit...", she remarked loathingly, "I hate this planet." She was in some pain, but is was mostly blunt harm. No blood, nothing broken, but it still hurt nonetheless. River looked at the fallen beast and telekinetically recalled her lightsaber back to her. There wasn't a moment going by where she didn't have her weapon at her side and in her hand. Not on this world. Not in her circumstance.

 

[Phil]

Valek tilted his head down some when he saw the massive beast charge. River was dealing with the lesser one while he was left to deal with this thing he had never seen before. First thing he did was targeted around it's head, managing to fire four armor piercing rounds from his magnum into it's head before it got too close. With only two shots left before he needed to reload, he lept upwards until he was over the creature and took out his saber, igniting it as he drive it down into it's back as he held on. With the beast in a frenzy and bucking at him, Valek, while still hanging on with one hand onto his saber plunged into the beast, took his other hand with his magnum and aimed it at the back of the beast, firing the last two rounds in the chamber before holstering it.

 

[Rev]

Kur'kesh watched on with amusement as the two beasts made quick work of the Shades... or so he thought. His amusement turned to anger as the Terentatek fell in a heap and the two shades now stood next to each other, obviously winded. Letting out a grunt of anger an idea came to his mind. With a quick motion of the hand a fellow Dark Jedi came to his side. An exchange of whispers followed and the shrouded minion ran off into the darkness that made up the Shadowlands.

Waiting ahead in the next clearing was that minion, that Dark Jedi of Kur'kesh's clan. Though what he had in store for the Shades he was unsure to whether they could handle, surely no mere Jedi could...

 

[Demiurge]

River kept her lightsaber active and held out in front of her, cautiously. Although she could be shaken, she didn't scare easily. Savage beasts where outright dangerous, and that alone put her off, but she could manage. What did scare her - or at least came as close as she would admit - was the strong presence of the Dark Side of the Force.

"Alright, we're here, we know we're being stalked, and we know they're darksiders. Can we leave now?" River asked, still keeping her lightsaber in a defensive form.

 

[Phil]

Valek cracked open his magnum chamber, reaching into his coat for spare slugs to fit into the slots as he slid one into a hole.

"If they'll allow it."

Then another.

"Would rather eliminate attackers so this won't happen again."

And then another.

"However, that was not part of mission assignment."

Then the last bullet entered the chamber as he closed it back up, keeping it at his side. He turned towards the direction he could sense more of the dark siders, then towards River.

"Stay close, we're leaving."

 

[Rev]

The next place they came to had a lone figure standing before them. He or she stood with their arms at their back, gazing at the two as if ready to confide in them. Then as quickly as this figure had appeared it spoke, its voice chiming off the dense trees that made up the Shadowlands.

"Greetings! Let me guess? You are here for your captured brethren? Let me tell you, there are no survivors!"

The angered voice came to a surprising halt and the figure charged at the two. Hunched over and running at the two the cloaked figure charged with no specific target, just running at the two. As it drew closer a hilt shot from no where, spinning frantically at the female Shade. As the hunk of metal spun closer it activated, a bright yellow blade cutting through the air at the female's throat, a kill shot should it strike, the figure still charging in behind the deadly weapon.

 

[Demiurge]

"There is no way my luck can be that bad -" River said, cutting her statement short, as she focused on raising her lightsaber quickly to defend the side of her neck, "- a karking lightsaber?! Seriously?!"

River maneuvered her silver blade to allign with the figure's yellow one, and clashed her lightsaber's blade against the incoming lightsaber, swatting it into the bushes of Kashyyyk. "May not be part of the assignment... but we might not have a choice, anymore. They're not going to let us leave here, not without a fight."

With her opponent's stance momentarily lost due to their lack of lightsaber, River violently thrashed her hand toward the figure, delivering a telekinetic impulse toward her opponent.

((Rev: Dam you and your elaborate lightsaber-throwing villainy :CStern:))