A slight spark

[Mid Samekh]

Ansion/Cuipernam​

13:56 Local Time​

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The Scarlet Fever was in the orbit of the beautiful planet of Ansion. The small MIA-01 droid was in charge of piloting the ship to its destination.

Cuipernam.

The only thing resembling a capital on this backwards planet. While off-worlders and spacers were nothing strange to the inhabitants of the small villages and towns, flying and leaving the planet behind was a dream far out of reach of just about every person of the planet. The ruling government was greedy, corrupt, heartless and cared nothing for the populace slaving away under their rule. In fact, it seems that they were going slightly out of their way to make it worse for everyone else.

Mid sat in the recreational area of his light freighter. His two compatriots along with him, doing their own thing. They all knew the objective, they all knew what they needed to do. Only question remaining was how they were going to do it.

The ship shuddered as the strong winds of the planet battered the ship. At least on the surface there will be walls, buildings and other objects to break the wind somewhat. They were headed for the only space port in the capital. Surprisingly landing would not be a problem for the trio, since Mid took the extra precaution of acquiring a fully legal landing permit so their plan would go unhindered.

The populace was tense, angry and desperate. Like a stack of wood drenched in fuel, all it needed was a slight spark to set it all aflame and burn away the corruption. Mid knew this, but wasn't sure if his compatriots knew. As soon as they landed, Mid escorted his two comrades through the streets that he managed to scout a few days ago. The idea was to show his companions the situation, get the wheels in their heads turning before explaining his devious plan of action to them. He was dressed in his Sith Armour, the black cloak covering his heavy Duraplast armour and his helmet covering his face. His lightsabers and blasters were hidden from view under the cloak.

They found their way into a rather empty cantina and Mid ordered drinks for the three of them. The bartender was surprised over the big order and jumped to it right away. Mid sat at the table, resting his head on his hands and watching his allies for a few seconds before breaking the silence. "So, now you've seen the situation. You've seen the suffering of these hard working, devoted lives. What do you think?" he asked them casually, his voice echoing lightly thanks to the empty and quiet cantina.

@Pyrenees @Insalius

 

[Rowan Harlow]

The mood of the people on this planet was quite wretched indeed. He knew well the pains they felt, having been in their position before and perhaps even still. Perhaps it was that empathy that would help him accomplish their mission here, though the plan wasn't his but instead belonged to another. He sat down in the cantina, pondering what he had seen and the mission briefing that he had received so far. On the surface this job looked like it would be easy, though, something tugged at his mind that perhaps there was something he was missing. He could tell that the other Imperial had more to say, though, even as he posed his question. "A field of dry grass awaiting a stray spark. I've seen the plight of the downtrodded before, some with their spirits crushed and those with their spirits aflame. This is the latter, though it seems those in 'power' are blind to it. It will not likely be a mistake they make twice, though. Whatever is planned, it had best be able to finish this all in the one attempt. A second would be markedly harder. What is your idea, good sir?"

@KinkyPrawn @Pyreness

 

[Beldan Bray]

Beldan, who had introduced himself to his two companion aboard the ship, was rather indifferent towards the people of Ansion. It seemed as if the strong ruled over the weak, and if the weak weren't going to prove their strength, letting the strong remain in power made sense. But calling the masses 'weak' might not be a correct use of the term, because if they united against the powers that be, it seemed rather clear that they would triumph. Walking through the streets of Cuipernam and listening to the two Sith he was travelling with made their objective rather clear - the trio was going to be the uniting force of the masses. Except for his usual gear, the Gran also carried a large backpack with food and liquids to last them a day or two. The backpack still had room to spare, but considering the poor conditions of the local populace, he regretted bringing the supplies. They seemed rather easy to come by since the local prices didn't seem to be very high compared to galactic standards.

The Gran held the drink which was given to him at chest height and regarded it for a few seconds until he looked up at Mid "Thank you" he said in a boringly monotone voice, as always. He put the glass down and listened attentively to the other two. By now, the overarching plan seemed to be rather clear to the trio and Beldan didn't feel like he had to add anything else in regards to what they were going to do. But, Rowan did ask a relevant question: How were they going to do it? The three-eyed alien looked around the rather empty establishment and then set his eyes on the human "Wherever we set that spark of yours," he begun, not at all happy with using a metaphor. "this will probably not do." he continued while pointing towards the center of the cantina. "Whatever we do, it will be more efficient in a heavily populated area."

Satisfied with having said his piece, Beldan let his eyes travel between his companions, bouncing between them at least four times before looking back down at his still full glass. No, he had no intentions of consuming anything which could affect his performance now. With this, he passively put both of his hands down at the table, prepared to move on if the Sith in charge decided that it was time to leave.

@KinkyPrawn @Insalius

 

[Mid Samekh]

Mid sat patiently, his eyes darting between his two companions as they both voiced their opinions on the situation. When they were done the Pureblood took a long sip of his glass, before eyeing them both with a mischievous smile. "Not to worry, brother. The plan I have will be done before the day is over. And it won't be happening here, Agent Bray." he took another sip before continuing. "Gentlemen, when was the last time you two were in a good revolution?"

"Convincing the Emperor to divert a battalion to this planet will either never happen or it will take too long. We can try it ourselves, but the royal guard is well armed. Heavy armour, rifles, pouches of grenades...going head to head against a hundred or so of those could prove too much even for our own combined might." he looked over to a few other patrons who quickly diverted their gaze, clearly listening in on the conversation. "Luckily we have an army all around us. The people of this planet are tired of these living conditions, they want justice, stability...they want a future, and they are willing to fight for that future. I say we each go to certain spots around the town, challenge the authorities, speak up against the rulers, inspire the people. Give that spark to the people. In doing so the people will rally to us and to the Empire. They will see that we care about them. They will break the main defence force, we will slip by and find the leaders...then execute them for all to see. After that, flying in a few governors of our own to get it all back in shape will be a piece of cake."

Another long sip, finishing the glass. He looked them both in the eyes, his own golden eyes glowing slightly in the dim light. "It's an ambitious plan but I'm confident that it will work. It will most certainly inspire the people to stand up for themselves. Are you with me?" he concluded, his smile never fading once.

@Pyrenees @Insalius

 

[Rowan Harlow]

Rowan gave a smile to the other man, approving of the plan. Why risk your own soldiers or assets when there was a force onsite that was ready to fight at the drop of a hat. It would be a plan of controlled chaos, inciting rebellion at key locations to put the most pressure on security forces. Then their fun would begin, the noble having looked forward to some fun assassination.

"Sounds like a great way to spend the day." He leaned back, feeling his lightsaber up one sleeve and throwing vibroknife up his other. His cane was more for misdirection yet could be used for bludgeoning if needed, though his blaster and grenades were hidden on his person. "Do you have our assigned locations chosen? As a former media presence I know a thing or two about public speaking and inciting emotions."

@KinkyPrawn @Pyreness

 

[Beldan Bray]

The listened as his allies spoke, he very much preferred listening before speaking. He cringed internally as the red-skinned being uttered the word brother in reference to the other Sith and was quite happy that he simply called Beldan Agent Bray to which he gave an affirming nod. Mid laid out the plan which they all already seemed have gotten a rough idea of - his walkthrough was appreciated regardless as it contained much a much more detailed explanation of both the plan and the situation on the planet.

Beldan recognized the feelings and urges which the red-skinned Sith described, he had very much felt the same during his time under the Imperial Republica. But instead of rising up in a foolishly risky revolt, he and his family had moved to the safe refuge of the Old Empire. The Gran was intrigued by Rowan's claims about being a good speaker and felt that it was a pity that he wouldn't be able to listen in to the man's performance. He blinked both one and two times and even had a quick glance at his glass before speaking "I too have moved people with my words. Gran poetry can tear at your heart strings like a krayt dragon can roar." Despite the surprisingly deep meaning of what he said, the agent still had an expressionless face accompanied by a monotone voice. He surveyed both of his companions for a while before finally deciding that his idea didn't receive enough support to execute. Beldan felt like a fool - the idea was stupid and unreliable to begin with, he never should have suggested it.

The three-eyed alien was determined not to let his emotions show. After thinking about it for a while he walked off to the bathroom and reemerged without his Imperial armour and with his all of his gear packed into the backpack. "Do not worry, allies. I will be one among them." he leaned forward, barely enough to make a difference as he lowered his voice "And frame our foes." The Gran then sat back upright and continued "This will incite the revolt which we are planning to create." Beldan threw a quick glance over his shoulder, no - the other patrons weren't listening, just as he expected. Many people who weren't directly engaged in a conversation with Beldan stopped listening when he had the chance to say more than a sentence. With this, he was once again ready to move out and do his job, but before that, he glanced down at his still full glass which their leader had ordered "Do any of you want this? I need to stay sober." The Gran knew that there were more elegant ways of putting the question, but frankly, he didn't care enough about the intricacies of it to bother.

@KinkyPrawn @Insalius

 

[Mid Samekh]

Mid emptied his glass as he listened to his allies speak. His smile only grew wider and wider until his sharp teeth here on display. "A public speaker, a priest and a poet. What more of a perfect trio could one ask for? Well I hope the both of you are good at making words up on the fly, because..." Mid fell silent mid-sentence as the agent just stood up and walked off. He looked bewildered at Rowan before looking back at the direction the Gran walked off to.

After a few minutes Beldan emerged with plain, civilian clothes, prompting the smile to return to the Purebloods face as he understood exactly what Beldan had in mind. "Well, the change in attire would most certainly help." he said casually before focusing again at the topic at hand.

"Alright, as I was saying, I hope you two are good at making words up on the fly, because you are going to need to put up one hell of a show. Beldan, with that outfit you will fit perfectly. Down the street to the right from here, less than a kilometre away, is a monument. It was built as a show of respect and honour to the people that settled the lands that would become the very city we are in right now. The people of this planet care deeply for tradition, and part of their tradition was to honour their ancestors and make sure that monument stayed in perfect condition. Sadly, due to 'budget cuts' that monument has fallen into disrepair and the people are unable to fix it up themselves. Suspiciously enough, a few days after the budget cut was announced the government started a massive expansion of the gear for their troops and unnecessary renovations on the presidential building...the people are upset as to how stuff so trivial are possible after budget cuts and the neglect of a piece of their own history. Most distasteful as you can imagine. See to it that you amass a big crowd, overrun the local guards acting as a police force and meet me at the front gate of the presidential building." Mid spoke with confidence, enthusiasm and power. The excitement and anticipation for the mission was slowly getting to him.

He looked back at Rowan. "Brother, to the left of the cantina, a few hundred metres or so you will find another cantina. "Donny's Waterhole" it's called. It was a local favourite and, once again, part of the people's tradition. Many a child had their first kiss there and many a young man had their first brawl there. It's part of the people's very way of life and relaxation...or it was until the guards decided to take over it for themselves. Civilians are no longer allowed to drink there and any that find themselves in there is liable to get a thorough beating. Your job is to remind the people who's bar it is and, either if you want or have to, join in and lead the people to trample the arrogant, drunken guards. Once that's done join up with Agent Bray at the front gate."

Mid reached over, took the Gran's drink and downed it in a few gulps. "I'll be going to a local marketplace and fountain. The place was booming with activity, good prices and just a nice place to go for a seat by the fountain and a delicious meal. The fountain has dried up, a lot of the stalls have closed down and the people want their favourite business hub back. I'll go there, rile the people up, make a fool of the guards, get the people to follow and join up at the front gate with the both of you. As soon as that happens, we charge in, break into the armoury located on the first level and clear the building. We'll reach the top of the building, take the leaders out on the balcony for all to see, then execute them in front of the masses. When that is all done we hail Command and they will dispatch a shuttle with the new leaders." he gave a quick rundown of the rest of the plan, in case something went wrong just so they were all on the same page.

He rose from his seat and checked his gear, making sure he was ready. "Let's not waste time, gentlemen. Time is of the essence and we have a riot to incite...may the force be with us." he gave a final word and made for the door to start their mission.

@Insalius @Pyrenees

 

[Rowan Harlow]

Rowan nodded, giving a tip of his hat before moving off to stake out the cantina that was assigned to him. The fact that it was being taken over by guards and other loyalists to the detriment of the usual locals was indeed a good place to incite those downtrodden to action. He saw what he needed quickly, a group of old regulars drinking and gathering across the street from the place, glaring at the entrance whenever one of those guards made their way in. They would grumble and complain about them without making secret their words, which gave Rowan enough information to come up with a plan. Time to play the curious tourist. "Hello, gentlemen. I heard this was quite the establishment to visit, though it seems that it is...occupied." The disgruntled men looked up Rowan, suspicious at first but with the Sith's mental manipulation falling under his subtle sway. "You want your watering hole back, I can see it in your faces. I'll give you the opportunity, just please go gather your friends, it will be quite the show."

As they went off to go do as he asked, Rowan confidently strode to the cantina and walked in like a customer. "Evening, gentlemen. Quite the day outside, could I have a glass of your best beer." The men in the booths and seats turned to look at him, most with a stunned look that some fresh meat had come in there, to their personal bar. The Sith merely raised an eyebrow, as if waiting, yet he was also girding himself for what he knew was coming. This wasn't the first bar fight he would be in, nor would it be the last. He just had to make sure it looked like he was fighting hard, but still a losing battle. He wanted the locals outside to WANT to help him, to help themselves. That was a more stable conviction than any fake one he could implant in their minds.

@KinkyPrawn @Pyrenees

 

[Beldan Bray]

Theme

It was obvious that the Sith had done his research and had a already found what seemed to be the optimal places from which a riot could be started. Beldan did, however, trust in his skills and was confident that he'd been able to find the trigger regardless of if had any help or not. Still, it was always appreciated when someone took their task seriously which Mid had done and the preparatory work the man had conducted would most certainly help the Gran in his tasks. The three-eyed alien was satisfied with the drink not going to waste as the red-skinned Sith consumed it. As soon as the leader was finished with setting out their plan, Beldan let out a monotone "See you at the presidental building." before rising to his feet and marching out of the building.

The site of the obelisk-like monument was bustling with activity, functioning like a centrally located crossroads between numerous living areas, work sites and market places. It even seemed as if a few merchants had set up shop near the monument in the larger open areas, seeing the constant stream of people as an opportunity to perhaps find a customer among the poor populace. The monument itself had definitely seen better days as it almost looked ready to crumble with major cracks running through it's entire structure and multiple pieces already seemed to have fallen off. The monument's colour was clearly marked by the lack of maintenance as harsh weather and time had made its impact. The lower part of the monument, however, was better maintained, as the poor citizens had been able to do small desperate attempts at keeping it clean, clearly caring about the object more than one might think.

Guards leisurely patrolled the streets with rather well kept uniforms and shining boots. Beldan moved through the crowds, slipping in subtle comments about "new boots?" and "the Palace" whenever he passed by those he thought linger for more than a few moments. The Gran hoped to plant thoughts of where credits where actually being invested as he made a large round along the square until he finally found what he was looking for - a loose piece of cement among all the cracks upon which the other parts of the statue relied to keep standing upright.

Beldan was quite lucky as the piece was placed quite low on the monument, allowing him to casually pull it out of its place as he passed by the monument without having anyone notice. After he had followed the stream away from the monument, he could hear a single cement piece fall and a loud gasp. Soon, he along with the rest of the crowd turned to watch as the monument started to crumble in front of their eyes. The first reaction of many seemed to be sadness, but Beldan wanted more.

Once again, he made his way around the square, letting out low murmurs such as "We can't keep on like this" and "How could this happen?" resulting in the thoughts spreading through the crowds quicker than they normally would. As the sadness turned into discontent frustration, the alien kept adding fuel to the fire "We need to do something" he said, doing his best to create an upset voice as he passed by a larger group. Once the group had started a rather heated discussion he continued on to the next crowd who already seemed rather riled up, allowing him to simply add the odd "Yeah! Well said!" and "Let's go tell 'em what's truly important." The agent was quite satisfied as he heard the thoughts he had helped spread were echoed by the masses, even the guard's new equipment and the upgrades to the presidential palace were mentioned. The crowd started to get rowdy, destroying windows of nearby shops and openly arguing with the guards.

This was his opportunity to strike. With that, Beldan made his way through the crowds while taking off his backpack to hold it in his left hand. The masses were screaming and shouting already, now, all that they needed was a slight spark. He took his rifle from the backpack and leaned it against a bench before moving on - someone was bound to pick it up after he did what he had planned to do. The Gran took out his blaster pistol and attached it to the belt behind his back whilst making his way away from the rifle and towards a light scuffle between a few guards and a particularly upset citizen.

After having arrived, the Gran made his way to the front of the line seeing a single guard heading towards him, believing that the three-eyed alien wanted to part take in the scuffle. But before the guard had arrived, a blaster shot rang through the square as the agent fired a single bolt into the approaching guard's chest. Everyone, including the guards themselves, froze as the shot echoed through the streets. The dramatic scene ended a few seconds after the shot guard fell down on the floor with a dull thud. Suddenly, the entire square was in upheaval as the guards proved to be quite killable and the populace was furious. Beldan took another step forward and shot another guard, quickly falling into the centre of attention for many.

Another weapon could be heard, it was neither the guard's nor his own blaster pistol, it was the rifle he left by the bench - they were truly in full revolt now. Once the masses had killed the guards Beldan stood up on a bench, raising him just slightly above the rest and fired a couple of shots in the air "To the palace!" he roared, looking onto the crowd for a few moments before leading the charge to the designated meeting spot.

@KinkyPrawn @Insalius

 

[Mid Samekh]

Mid walked calmly through the streets. Strangely enough, the bright sun was starting to disappear as clouds started rolling in and the sound of thunder could slightly be heard. A storm was brewing...fitting.

He found himself in the marketplace in front of the fountain. The water was dirty and ran poorly, seemingly due to a loss in pressure from the pumps. Most of the stalls around it stood empty and what little were still open looked like they were having trouble staying open. A group of 6 guards were hanging around, going about their patrols and moving through the miserable group of people and receiving sour, threatening looks with every step they took. This might be a lot easier than anticipated.

Mid walked around a little, checking the stock of the few stores still open. One lady had a few baskets full of fruit which looked quite delicious, tempting the food-loving Pureblood immensely. A lot of the people stared at the tall, armoured figure that they had never seen before. He spotted a few kids who were mesmerised by him, clearly burning with curiosity. His attention moved from the curious group of children to an old man stopping in front of the guards. Mid couldn't hear what the old man and the guards were arguing about, but the pointing of his cane to the fountain and stalls were evidence enough. Mid slowly walked over and stood next to the fountain, close enough to listen in to the argument that was starting to attract a small crowd. It seemed the man was old enough to remember what a booming town this was before the current regime moved in and took over...that might be useful.

The lead guard drew a pistol and pressed it against the old man's forehead, giving Mid a perfect time to start his revolution. He reached out with his right hand and grabbed hold of the pistol with the force and pulled it to him. The shocked old man and guards looked over to him as he placed the gun on the bench next to him for anyone to take...
"I see you lot like throwing your weight around, threatening these good people and killing off anyone who challenges your authority. You got guts, threatening an elderly and thinking you're untouchable...how about you pick on someone your own size?" Mid spoke loudly for all to hear as he unclipped his crossguard lightsabre and ignited it. The guards were shocked, but quickly started laughing in an arrogant laugh. "Who the hell do you think you are, sith. There are six of us...and only one of you." The lead guard spoke, amused by the situation.

"Oh I'm not talking about me...I'm talking about us."Mid called out as he held his arms out, indicating to the crowd all around them. Mid turned to face the crowd, but kept the guards in the corner of his eye. "People of Ansion! I see it in your eyes, I hear it in your voices! You are all tired of living under this...heratical regime that thinks they can just step on you and expect you to not fight back! I am here to give you a chance to take back your home and return it to its former glory! The Sith Empire has heard your plea and sent us to deliver you from this hell! You have suffered long enough while those arrogant, greedy mongrels don't have to work a day in their lives! Join me, and together we can overthrow those criminal scum!" He spoke proudly and confidently. Many of the people were shocked and didn't move a muscle, too afraid to move against their overlords.

One of the guards raised and fired his blaster, but Mid deflected it back perfectly and hit the guard in the chest. The other guards were enraged by this public display of defiance. "You stupid sith dog! I'll kill you!" the lead guard shouted in anger, but he was quickly silenced as a young man picked up the pistol behind Mid and fired at the guard. The other people started to shout and walked forward to the guards who were now reduced to 4.

Mid smiled as he prepared to attack. "This is where the fun begins."

@Insalius @Pyrenees

 

[Rowan Harlow]

Rowan is thrown out of the bar, scuffed and bruised though not actually greatly injured at all. He knew how to instigate a fight while minimizing his own taken damage, putting on a good show. He looked far worse than he was. The growing crowd across the street watched him be thrown out, those still sitting taking a stand and starting to move towards the well-dressed man. He stood up, putting on an injured act, and spoke. "This isn't your cantina...this isn't your city...It belongs to them, the people, the ones who work hard to give you this life you take for granted!" He was echoing all the doubts and feelings he'd picked up on the surface of their minds, saying just the right words to antagonize them to action. That was when the blaster bolt came, seemingly striking Rowan even though he spun to dodge and mitigate the damage. He made it seem like he'd been injured, though.

That was the last straw. The citizens rioted, the guards caught by surprise. The swarm of bodies easily overwhelmed the offenders, quickly retaking the cantina. Rowan had slipped away in the confusion, though not far. He found the leaders of this little group and pushed them towards even greater acts, like rioting up to the palace with the other groups. It seemed like their own idea, the growing mob heading off to join up with his companions' gathered rabble. For his part, Rowan dusted himself off and went to meet up with the other two at the rendezvous. He even whistled as he went, twirling his cane as he watched the crowd roar on in front of him, overtaking what guards remained at the front of the palace.

@KinkyPrawn @Pyrenees

 

[Beldan Bray]

The trip to the Presidential Palace wouldn't be uneventful for the Gran's group. On a relatively wide road on which they marched, four guards could be seen standing in the middle of the road, right before a crossroads. There were a few guards spread out around the crossroads too, along with some stationed in the buildings nearby. The angry mob was large enough to overwhelm the guards, but it would never have expected what the officers had brought with them: A few well respected elders.

The mob started becoming more quite as the approached the three elders standing in front of the police and instead of just rushing past them, they stopped right before them and allowed the old voices to be heard. Beldan grew concerned as the old souls seemed to speak of reconciliation and peace, nothing which was particularly desirable in their current situation - even worse, it seemed to work as the mob begun calming down. The Gran also knew that his lack of name recognition meant that taking on the elders in an argument might not end the way he wanted it too. With that, he snuck away from the mass, letting the angriest ones from the mob to continue the verbal battle without him.

Moving at a rapid pace, Beldan traveled through a few buildings and across a couple of streets until he reached the building complex on the other side of the crossroads from where the mob stood. He slowed down dramatically to avoid being detected by whatever guards where inside the building. It didn't take long for him to find a lonesome guard standing by the window overlooking the crossroads. Having a rifle carefully aimed at the person holding Beldan's own rifle which he dropped earlier.

Step after step, the Gran slowly approached the guard from behind until he was close enough to rip away the rifle with one hand and put a piece of cloth over his victim's mouth and nose with the other, effectively cutting off his air supply and rendering the human inoperable. The agent had no intentions of letting the man who now laid passed out on the floor surprise him by stabbing him in the back or calling for allies in case he woke up and quickly solved the problem by snapping the guy's neck.

With the room completely for himself, Beldan opened the window, crouched down on the floor and took aim with the guard's rifle which would produce the same coloured laser bolts as usual. He fired off two shots in quick succession, killing two of the elders and causing quite a stir, both in the mob and among the guards. The agent carefully aimed for the third elder and soon took her down as well. With that, he rushed off in the building complex, avoiding guards to the best of his ability.

Furious screams could be heard from the streets and blaster fire echoed all the way to Beldan's position. Soon, he had managed to loose the guards and rejoined the mob which was now angrier than ever. The Gran fired a few rounds into the sky and once again tried to direct the angry mass of people towards the palace - and with both their monument in ruins and the elders, presumably killed by a guard, dead, they were most certainly our for blood. 'His' mob would soon arrive by the Presidental Palace's gates with the woman holding his rifle leading the charge whilst the Gran followed her with a few people put in between them.

@KinkyPrawn @Insalius

 

[Mid Samekh]

One of the four guards took aim at Mid, but he was tackled to the ground by a nearby onlooker. One of the other guards took aim at the person that tackled his friend, but Mid intercepted him and cleaved him in half. Chaos erupted as the crowd overran the last guards with a thunderous roar. Cries for justice and liberty filled the air. If Mid weren't right in the middle of the crowd he would've waltzed to the people's shouting.

"To the presidential palace!" he called out and like a tidal wave the people moved down the street. Some of the people looted the soldiers for their weapons while others picked up whatever was lying around for a makeshift weapon. The were on the warpath and they only needed someone to lead them down that path. Mid made his way to the front of the crowd and marched towards the building. There were a few guards along the way that tried to stop them but they met their demise either at the hands of the rioting civilians or by Mid's crimson blade.

Eventually they arrived at the presidential palace with a massive mob at the front gates. Mid's group merged with the rest as Mid met up with his two compatriots in front of the gate. "Agent Bray, well done. Rowan...you look terrible." he spoke with a laugh to the two men as he looked them over. The plan was set. The round was loaded. The powder keg was ready. All that was left was the last spark to bring the regime down to its knees. "Brother, on me. Let's bring this gate down." and with that he clipped his hilt to his belt, reached out with the force and started pushing against the gate. It'll be too heavy for him alone, but with the help of the other Acolyte, it'll topple over like a deck of cards.

@Pyrenees @Insalius

 

[Rowan Harlow]

"When one is an actor, one must play the part. After all, the more genuine the effects, the more it moves the heart and soul." He smiles as he dusts himself off, cracking his knuckles as he walks up next to the other Sith. He could see the man was trying to bring down the gate, which would be the best way to have the populace start their assault. Gathering in the Force, he brought his full power to helping to tear down the gate. With his level of power added to Mid's, the gate should be ripped from its hinges and practically flung through the front door. His weapons ready, he waited to hear his new orders from the other Sith. It was his show and his plan, after all.

@KinkyPrawn @Pyrenees

 

[Beldan Bray]

While still moving forth with his mob, Beldan could see his allies approaching the gates from different sides as well. They both seemed to lead their respective crowds whilst the Gran had managed to remain relatively anonymous in his own. He managed to establish eye contact with Mid and slowly shook his head whilst tightening his three eyes on the pureblood, hoping that it would keep him from revealing the agent's identity. If the Sith did indeed refrain from revealing him, Beldan would give him an appreciative nod, otherwise, he would just stare at the man for a while before thanking him for the compliment.

It seemed like Rowan had spent much effort in convincing his crowd, judging by his looks. Still, his command of the force seemed formidable as he joined the other Sith in opening an entrance for them. "Bring down the gates" he mumbled, just for those near him to hear, including the leader of his mob. They were all watching the two force users work with anticipation. Soon, with Beldan's initiative, a chant started ringing through the crowds: "Bring down the gates! Bring down the gates!"

The mob was quickly reaching a boiling point and the agent put fuel on the fire, chanting along with them and firing a few shots into the air, followed by many of the gun-wielding people who did the same. They were practically pressing against the large gates when the two force users managed to fling them away, not only opening the path into the courtyard, but also smashing down the doors into the inner parts and leaving a large pile of debris by the doors' mouth. The mob immediately swelled through the open path, quickly spreading out over the courtyard and taking down the few soldiers who stood inside. By this time, their foes had realized that the thread was imminent and started firing at the masses, taking several people down.

There was still smoke and dust around the doors which had been smashed down by the gates. Beldan was at the front, leading the charge towards the grand doorway, taking care to shoot at anyone who was even close to aiming at him. Just as he pushed up and stood by the doorway, the Gran saw that this place was much better defended than the courtyard as it contained several soldiers who were divided between shooting at the incoming mob and setting up two repeater positions which would undoubtedly be able of spraying down the incoming horde of people for quite some time before being overrun. With that in mind, Beldan made sure to target those who focused on setting up the repeaters, ignoring dealing with those who were a threat to himself.

He managed to keep the guards from getting the weapons emplacement up too soon, but knew that he was in some real trouble when a particularly large soldier picked one of the weapons up with the intent to fire it from his hip. Seeing that, the Gran threw himself in behind the rubble which remained from when the gates crashed the doors open. The agent screamed out in pain as the masses trampled on him as he laid on the ground - but it did seem preferable to getting sprayed down.

If the larger soldier got the opportunity to start firing, it seemed likely that the other troopers would be able to set up the second repeater too.

@KinkyPrawn @Insalius

 

[Mid Samekh]

As Mid and Rowan focused on pushing in the gates, the crowd started yelling behind them, cheering them on to bring down the gates. Something told him Agent Bray was to thank for that.

After a bit, the gate flew off its hinges and crashed into the massive doorway of the presidential palace. The crowd charged forth, nearly trampling Mid as he moved to the right to allow them to charge into the fray first. He ignited his collapsed polearm and spun it around, using both massive blades to deflect the rounds coming at him. The courtyard barely had any resistance and between the two Acolytes, the Agent and the angry mob of easily more than a thousand people, they didn't have a chance. It seemed that news travelled quickly, because behind them people were coming from all over with improvised weapons to join in on the revolution. There army was growing.

Mid pushed up, intent on joining up at the head to provide some support when he saw the firing line open fire inside. Just as he pushed through and got to the front, he was staring down a hulking brute cradling the repeater in his arms, ready to put a quick end to a good portion of their crowd. With limited options Mid extended both blades of his polearm to 2 metres and hurled the massive weapon at the two repeaters lining up to fire. The brute was sliced in half but the gunner of the other repeater managed to survive the attack somehow. Mid recalled the polearm just in time to create a crimson wall in front of him as the repeater opened fire. A bunch of the rioters fell but the centre of the crowd mostly remained intact as Mid spun his weapon in front of them and deflecting most of the rounds, with only a few slipping through and taking out the people directly behind him.

A few shots managed to graze him or hit him somewhere on the body. The armour held up but it did nothing for the bleed-through burning his skin. "Can someone take him out already?! I can't hold them any longer!" barked through gnashing teeth, trying his best to keep up with the repeater's firing rate, but his arms were tiring and more shots were managing to slip through.

Once the last repeater has been dealt with, there would be two directions for the crowd to go. Either to the armoury which has been opened up to fight against the onslaught, or up the large stairwell behind the small garrison which led all the way up to the penthouse where the planetary leaders were cowering.

@Insalius @Pyrenees

 

[Beldan Bray]

As a kid, Beldan had almost drowned once. He never saw it from a very dramatic point of view - he was young and a poor swimmer and the adults looked away for just a little too long, it was all logical, it made sense. Someone eventually came to his rescue and there was nothing more to it. The Gran rarely added any more colour to life than what was absolutely necessary and he prided himself on seeing things objectively without too many emotions.

His current experience reminded him of drowning. The masses kept rushing forth, not caring much for what they probably perceived as a body before them - too caught up in the rush of the moment to pay any real attention. The few rare souls who did noticed the poor Gran getting trampled were just pushed forth by the crowd behind them. Years of loyal service to the Empire, hefty amounts spent on his education and with so much left to give, thinking of dying by getting trampled seemed like a waste of resources. Beldan had also thought of a new Dejarik move which he wanted to try, although that seemed quite unimportant compared to the grander loss to the Empire, should he perish.

Suddenly, the crowd stopped as one of the heavy repeaters went off, but instead of seeing them all fall dead to the ground, he heard the familiar sound of bolts being reflected by a lightsaber. The three-eyed creature had a ghastly cough as he tried to rise to his feet. He slowly turned around to let his front face the ground, feeling horrible pain soaring through his back as he did. While the upper body raise, it didn't seem like the Gran's legs were responding to his commands - the soft and biological nature of his body didn't seem to have much respect for the pressing needs of his Sith ally.

Determined to do his part, Beldan used his arms to pull himself up to the top of the cover behind which he had hid, discovering a great deal of pain by his right ribs and upper left arm too. When he finally reached the top, the agent fired a single, carefully aimed shot at the gunner, hitting the man in the chest resulting in a quick death. He then fired another shot at the one who helped set up the weapon which managed to score a killing strike too. With the immediate danger averted, the Gran let out a weak call for help, resulting in a small crowd gathering around him.

Seeing the woman carrying his rifle, Beldan waved her closer "To kill the snake, you cut off its head" he said, almost as if whispering. He didn't find the strength to say it in an inspiring way or put any other kinds of effort into it - his statement was blunt and simple with a finger pointing at the stairs leading upwards. The rebel gave him a determined nod and raised his rifle above her head while looking at the masses behind her "We're taking back our planet today! Charge!" The masses roared and cheered as they started rushing forth with the woman at the very front. This time, Beldan was protected by a few people who remained near him to keep him safe.

OOC: I was told to skip.

@KinkyPrawn @Insalius

 

[Mid Samekh]

The repeater kept firing and Mid kept deflecting, but it was an uphill struggle for the Pureblood to try and keep up with the devastating fire rate of the weapon. One shot got through and hit him square in the gut. His armour held up but the bleed-through was excruciating. His face twisted at the pain on his skin, but there was no time to worry about that. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, two shots rang out and the repeater fell silent. Mid stopped spinning his weapon and extinguished it, allowing the masses cowering behind him to move up and take whatever weapons there were.

Mid took the brief moment of relief to catch his breath and try to reposition the hot duraplast plate over his stomach. At least it was cooling off now and the pain was easing up a bit. He moved over to the injured Gran and looked him over. The Pureblood had some decent medical training under the belt and could help the Gran as best he could. "Thanks for that. Looks like you got a couple fractured ribs and a broken upper arm. You can stay down here if you want, catch a front row seat for the show. Or if you feel up to it you can keep following. My advice is to stay down here and set up a perimeter, in case anyone tries to escape or come from behind." he spoke as he examined agent.

The crowd roared around him and charged forth, going every which way and clearing the lower levels of any resistance one by one. A group was standing by, awaiting word from either the agent or the acolyte. Mid looked up to them and stood up. "You bunch, help him as best you can. If there's a doctor go fetch him. Check for any other wounded and see what you can do for them." he spoke with authority and the group nodded, springing into action. He turned to look at Rowan. "Brother, on me. Let's go take out those pompous womp-rats." and with that his polearm ignited both blades.

He made his way to the spiralling stairway and started climbing. With everything going on, the lifts would most likely be either boobytrapped or inoperable. Nonetheless, a few civilians were positioned right in front of the lifts' doors just in case anyone tried to escape. A crowd of a couple dozen civilians armed to the teeth with whatever they could find were following suit. There would most likely be a small group of guards up in the tower to act as a last defence. But it would only prove to delay the inevitable.

@Pyrenees @Insalius

 

[Rowan Harlow]

The chaos was wonderful as the civilians swarmed the palace. He let battles fight their course as needed, letting Mid take command as it was his mission after all. When asked to follow the other Sith, he was glad to do so. With a flick of the wrist he took out and lit his lightsaber, having the man's back as they made their way up the stairs. The fighting was almost done, though it was still annoying that the survivors were still putting up resistance. "I have your back, Brother. How do you want to deal with the stragglers? I've some grenades if you need them, or if the tower isn't needed we could just slice it off and let them tumble to their deaths." The last might require more work, but it could be an effective example of Sith power. Plus, towers could be rebuilt.

@KinkyPrawn @Pyrenees

(Sorry about the delay, fiancee had a big surgery and I was helping with recovery. I'll be around to finish this, sorry it took so long )

 

[Beldan Bray]

Trying to get up, the Gran noticed that his legs were still unresponsive. Perhaps getting trampled by the horde they had created caused more damage than he first thought. His body was still hurting all over and didn't have to take particularly much time to conclude that his part in the fight was over. The few considerate souls who had flocked around him to prevent the agent from getting trampled again held strong and the Pureblood came to check on him as well. With a waving motion with the hand, Beldan signaled for his ally to press on "Continue. I will stay here." he said weakly, saving his breath the best he could.

The mob contained people from many walks of life, including those knowledgeable in treating injuries, such as doctors and nurses. Eventually, a few medical professionals gathered around Beldan too, looking for ways to help. After having assessed the damage, they took sufficient precautions before moving him, first along the stream of people, and then veering off to the side once they reached the inner courtyard. There, the medical professionals started treating him to the best of their abilities with rather limited resources. He took note of how efficient they seemed, guessing that they were used to working with whatever they got at hand ever since the regime (supposedly) made cuts to public healthcare.

A few of those who had protected the Gran from getting trampled earlier soon left him as they saw that he didn't seem to risk encountering the same fate again. The three-eyed alien followed them with his gaze, seeing how they entered the tower and started climbing it along with the Sith and a few others. When is previous protectors left his line of sight, Beldan's gaze slowly traveled up the tower until it reached the top. He wished he could be there to help, but at this time, there was nothing he could do unless he decided to crawl up there, which would most likely be an extreme waste of resources considering the high risk of dying by something as simple as falling down the stairs or getting shot at without the possibility to escape. With that he simply stared up to the sky while the few people around him did their utmost to treat his wounds.

@KinkyPrawn @Insalius