Ask Angel Down

[Sybella Demici]

AN ORBITAL SPACE STATION IN THE OUTER RIM TERRITORY ​

"Angel Station, 0-5-5. Angel Station, 0-5-5. This is The Medea 11. Message, over." Several moments passed, with only silence in its wake. Sybella tried once more, checking to ensure the frequency was indeed correct. "I repeat. Angel Station, 0-5-5. This is The Medea 11. Respond, over."

Again, there was nothing. Not even a trace of acknowledgement.

This made the Jedi frown. The mayday had only been sent a few hours earlier. In the area already, Sybella had reacted as fast as she could. With the council's permission, she met up with a companion by the name of @Corinna Amanar and moved quickly to investigate the issue. Admittedly, the alert wasn't the most specific; it mentioned something about hostile intruders but with blaster fire going off in the background, the rest remained unclear.

Essentially, they would be flying in blind.

Sighing, Sybella moved towards her cruiser's main console, conveying the situation and its lack of development to the young Corinna. "Still no answer. The communication system must have been disabled right after they sent the distress signal."

Trying to rationalise the possible culprits, the elder of the two knights began to think aloud. One culprit that came to mind was a band of marauding scavengers. "Pirates, perhaps?"

They do love an easy target. But the more Sybella pondered, the more unlikely it seemed. This space station was a neutral outpost; not exactly a rich and abundant leisure craft. There was little value here, so much so there wasn't even an offensive weapons system in place to defend its exterior boundaries. Shields, yes, but little else and even those appeared to be deactivated. Voyagers might stop off here to resupply and rest, but other than that, the orbital island was just a floating observation platform. So, why would someone want to attack it?

@LouJoVi
@Corinna Amanar

 

[Corinna Amanar]

Corinna watched Sybella call the station two times without any success. The Fallanassi turned to look at the place that they were approaching. She wondered what could have happened to make the crew send a distress signal and now not answer their calls. It was really very strange, making the Knight fear for their lives.

“Yes, probably.” she said, while frowning. The space station that they were approaching seemed to be so ominous, while floating silently in the darkness of space. Even if they were going to face simple pirates, Corinna didn’t want to do it inside a place like this one. They would be trapped there with them.

“We need to be careful. Whatever we are going to face inside it, probably is already waiting for our arrival.” there was a great chance that they had discovered the distress message that had been sent by the station’s crew. “If there were pirates, they could be waiting to surprise us at the landpad. Maybe we can surprise them.”

The ship would soon stop in the space station. Corinna took a deep breath in preparation for what they were going to face. The Force, known by her people as the White Current, was her ally and in it she found her strength. “We are going to land soon.” she said, before getting up from her seat.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

@Corinna Amanar was right, they were probably walking right into a trap, but what choice did they have? Jedi did not turn a blind eye to those in need; if there were any survivors, they needed help now. Though tricky, pirates could be dealt with when using the right tactics; so long as the pair remained close, they would have the advantage.

Before disembarking the ship, Sybella made sure to reach out with the Force; out of habit, she scanned the nearby area for signs of life but was somewhat surprised to find there weren't any. At least, not in the immediate vicinity.

"Strange..." She muttered, "Very strange. There's no one here..."

Docked in the hangar were three ships. Two were fairly standard, being the same make and model. Believing they belonged to the station and its crew, Sybella moved her attention to the odd one out. It looked like a freighter of some sort, the kind that carries cargo for transport. Perhaps it was delivering some supplies? It may explain why some of the containers were open and emptied. Yet no crew, or any security, were anywhere in sight. Something clearly disrupted the regular routine.

Turning her gaze back to the station's two ships, Sybella quickly realised something. The ships' underside panelling had been pried off, leaving the circuit panels exposed. Wires had been cut and the control board was smashed to bits. Whoever had tampered with these space crafts wanted to ensure they were as good as dead. Useless for escape.

"I have a bad feeling about this..."

Spoiler

Coin toss - signs of life in the hangar? Tails = no

 

[Corinna Amanar]

When they left the ship, the two Jedi faced an empty hangar. While the lack of an ambush was a relief, Corinna couldn’t avoid thinking how the situation was becoming even more strange. If marauders had boarded the space station, she would have expected an attack as soon as they landed.

“Yes. If there were pirates, I would have expected their ship to be here.” unless they arrived hiding inside the cargo transport, there was no other thing that they could have used to enter this space station. “Do you think that whoever attacked this place could have already left? This would explain why we aren’t feeling anything.”

While it was a possibility, Corinna wasn’t sure if that was the case. If whoever attacked the space station wanted to leave as soon as they finished their business here, there was no reason for them to destroy the communication system. They could have simply killed everyone or even exploded the place.

The fact that the other two ships had been damaged also helped to make the entire situation even stranger. Corinna approached the underside paneling and studied the damage. They had been damaged purposely, with someone actively cutting the wires. She frowned, wondering why someone would do that.

“I don’t think that pirates would have done it.” they would have sacked the station and left the place. Looking around, the Fallanassi noticed that the hangar had some security cameras. It gave her an idea. “We should go to the control room. Perhaps the security system is still working and we can see what the cameras filmed.”

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Surveying the damaged wiring, Sybella came to the same conclusion as @Corinna Amanar. Pirates wouldn't go to so much trouble; they'd just steal the space crafts, not disable them. The same could be said about the cargo on the freighter. Why leave such loot?

"Only one way to find out..."

Tired of simple speculation, the Serennian knight approached a nearby console and accessed the station's schematics. The layout was pretty standard; at the very top was the observation deck, whereas the body contained most of the base's amenities. As expected, the bottom was the designated hangar, housing ships and their docking bays.

Checking the security system was a good idea and after reviewing the digital map, Sybella determined the most direct route. "This way," she pointed, "We can follow this hallway. It should take us straight to the security point."

Unnervingly, the bowels of the station were just as empty as the hangar. Not a soul was in sight, save for a mouse droid. Poor thing was in a frenzy though; whizzing about, it crashed into a wall before skittering off. Sybella would have liked to question the cleaning machine, but it was too fast (too panicked) to be stopped. Something had obviously spooked it, maybe the same thing that left the scorch marks on the walls.

Tracing her fingers over one of the spots, Sybella determined, "These look like they came from blaster bolts. Someone was definitely shooting at something..."

She then frowned, grasping at her saber. "Stay close. You watch my back and I'll watch yours."

Breaching the mouth of security, Sybella found the doors were unresponsive. Not locked, but simply unresponsive. Were these systems damaged too? It wasn't due to lack of power, that's for certain. Shooting a glance at Cori, the kohl-eyed knight drew on the Force once more; this time, however, she was using it to physically manoeuvre the doors apart. They groaned and creaked, resisting at first, before finally buckling under the pressure of invisible energy.

From the depths of the darkened room, a blaster bolt was shot and Sybella narrowly missed being hit. Someone was alive, and they were now firing on the two Jedi.

 

[Corinna Amanar]

Corinna watched Sybella approach a nearby console, using it to access the station’s system. While the other Jedi did it, the Fallanassi walked around the hangar in search of anything that could be useful for them to understand what had happened in this place.

Unfortunately, she found no trace of a fight. If the ship had been really invaded by some criminal group, there would be signals of blaster shots around the place. The guards would have intercepted them as soon as their presence inside the station had been revealed. This only made the hypothesis of being the work of pirates more distant.

Once Sybella finished analyzing the map of the station, the two Jedi walked toward the security point. Like the Serennian, Corinna also noticed the desperate mouse droid. When the other Knight pointed the marks of blaster shots in the walls, the Fallanassi approached to look at them.

“It’s very strange. Besides the danified ships, we don’t find any signal of these marks in the hangar. Whatever attacked the workers, only did it when they were away from there.” by this point she was certain that they weren’t dealing with criminals. It wasn’t how they used to work. “Of course. I have the feeling that something is going to happen, we need to stay together.” Corinna could feel it through the Force and the White Current. The danger was lurking around them.

Like Sybella, Corinna was also confused with reasons why the door of the security room was unresponsive. She wondered if they had been damaged from inside. Indeed that seemed to be the case, because as soon as her fellow Knight used the Force to open it, someone inside shot at them.

Corinna was fast and created a Force shield around them, while more shoots came from the darkness inside the room. “Who is there? We are the Jedi and we came to help.” she said, while more shoots collided against her shield. The Fallanassi would wait for an answer before drawing her lightsaber.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Startled by the sudden blaster fire, @Corinna Amanar's shield provided the pair with essential cover. Whoever they were, these attackers seemed to be following the doctrine of 'shoot first, ask questions later'. At that moment, Sybella couldn't yet determine the identity of the shooters, but she could a pair of muzzle flashes; that meant there were at least two armed assailants. Pirates, perhaps? Survivors? Maybe. There was only one way to find out.

"That's quite enough..." With her patience waning, the Serennian called on the Force once more. From the darkness of the security deck, two heavy blast pistols came sailing forth. Silence fell upon the the corridor once more, allowing the knights to speak. "Let's try this again, shall we? We are Jedi and we are here to help."

Muttering could be heard, which soon transformed into a louder, more rapid exchange of whispers.
"How do we know they're telling the truth?"
"Did you not just see them use their space magic? Of course, they're Jedi."
"That doesn't mean anything! Those things could be controlling their minds, just like the others!"

Seeming unimpressed, Sybella cleared her throat to create a break between them, "...Not to be rude but you know we can hear you."

An awkward silence followed.
"Look, what choice do we have?"
"...Ugh. Fine."

There was shuffling and there was a distinct sound of debris being pushed aside. Wary, Sybella looked at Cori once more, not quite sure what to make of all this. Was this all an elaborate trick too?

Eventually, a pair of hands waved from behind the door, showing they were no longer armed. A young Twi'lek woman then sheepishly poked out her head, scanning the corridors first before finally addressing the pair. "Um, h-hello. Sorry about that." She gestured for them to enter with much urgency,"You better get inside, quick...before they come back."

Sensing no traces of deception, Sybella entered the security bay. Though the lighting was low, the massive mess was easily visible. Toppled consoles, barricades entry points. It was clear now, these two people were attempting to shelter themselves. "They? And exactly who is 'they'?"

A cathar male, nursing an injured arm, grimaced and growled. He gestured to a series of monitors, though only some now functioned. "Those kriffing bugs. Killiks. They've infested the station - come see for yourself."

 

[Corinna Amanar]

Even after she said that they were Jedi, the shots continued coming toward them. Corinna maintained the shield, protecting her and Sybella. She wondered if they had found the responsibles for the attack in the station. Only that would explain this aggressive reaction.

When Sybella used the Force, Corinna saw the blaster of their adversaries flying out of the shadows and toward the two Jedi. With them disarmed, the Fallanassi could stop making the shield. Now they could try to talk with whoever was firing against them. Hopefully it would bring some light to the situation.

After Sybella once again explained that they were Jedi, Corinna could hear the conversation between the people that tried to kill them. What started as a muttering, soon became a loud discussion. The comment of the Serennian made the Fallanassi smirk with amusement. They could have tried to kill them, but the two argued as if they were an old married couple.

The arguing continued for some time until the two seemed to have reached an agreement. The first individual that appeared was a female Twii’lek. She seemed scared and warned them about someone coming back. Like Sybella, Corinna was confused. She wondered who she was talking about.

Her answer came in the form of the other figure that emerged from the shadows of the room. This time it was a male Cathar. He warned the two Jedi about the Killiks infesting the station. “I thought that this plague was controlled. How did they invade the station?” Corinna asked, while following Sybella inside the room. Now this mission became even more problematic.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Sybella groaned. Killiks? Of all things, there were killiks on the space station. The observatory outpost never stood a chance. Grainy footage began to play on the glitching monitors; it showed the events as they unfolded. The large freighter they saw earlier landed, apparently dropping off much-needed supplies. That much seemed normal; the pilot disembarked as the droids assigned to the outpost began unloading, as was the procedure. The recording would then reveal the shocking turns of events; the pilot began disabling the other ships. He was the one responsible for the damage. Members of the station's crew must have seen him because they came out onto the landing platform to confront him. Shockingly, he started to open fire on them with a blaster.

In the chaos and confusion, the insectoids revealed themselves, emerging from the freighter with ill intent. Wrestling the blaster away from the pilot, one of the crew members turned the blaster fire on the emerging thread. The pilot was hit, but the killiks were nimble, swarming the crew before they even had a chance to flee. Sybella knew what happened next. In a sickening display, the bugs' potent mucus was forcibly fed to the crew, ensuring their obedience. They struggled and flailed, before finally stilling, succumbing to the influence that invaded them. With one horror, after another, the killiks began to consume the body of the pilot, nourishing themselves on the apparent protein. Sybella looked away, disgusted by the sight.

"From the looks of it, they didn't invade. They snuck aboard. It's odd, though. I count only four. A vanguard, perhaps?" Still, one killik was bad enough, especially if they controlled another sentient. "How many people were stationed on this outpost?"

The Cathar, scratching his chin, began to think. "There are - or rather, there were eleven of us, not including the pilot. The skug got lucky, dying like that."

"What a horrible thing to say!"

"Well, it's true, ain't it?" Growling without so much as an apology, the humanoid feline continued "Before communication got scrapped, we confirmed only three of us were infected. The rest barricaded ourselves in and around the station."

Fiddling with her lekku, it was clear the Twi'lek was worried. Not just for her own safety, but for that of her crew mates as well. "You gonna help them, right?" She was practically pleading "...Right?"

Looking at @Corinna Amanar, Sybella could only confirm the unfortunate truth. Those infected could not be saved; once you became a part of the hive, you were essentially as good as gone. Best scenario? They kill the killiks and put an end to those infected.

Spoiler

Out of 12 people on the space station:
3 x infected/controlled
1 x dead (freighter pilot)
6 x missing
2 x found alive (the twilek and the cathar)

 

[Corinna Amanar]

Corinna paid close attention to the footage. It explained everything that they had seen in the hanger. The presence of the freighter and the damaged ships. Everything was the result of the Killik invading the space station. She only really believed that they were dealing with these insectoids when she finally saw them on the screen.

She silently lamented that now they were going to be forced to face Joiners. These poor people had no choice but obey the Killiks. If they ended up being forced to kill them, Corinna would do it as painlessly as she could. They didn’t deserve to be slaved by these creatures. If at least there was any cure for it.

What Corinna couldn’t understand was the reason for the Killiks wanting to take control over this space station. From the reports that she had read, the insectoids were relatively clever and organized. Invading a place like this one without any future plan didn’t seem to be something that they were going to do.

“I believe that we should secure the space station. I feel a disturbance in the Force, the Killiks have a plan that we aren’t aware of.” Corinna said, while turning to look at Sybella. “We need to find a way of stopping them before they can start to work in whatever they want to do.”

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Sybella nodded, agreeing with her fellow Jedi, @Corinna Amanar . Whatever the Killiks were planning, they had to be stopped before any further lives were ruined. It was clear, now more than ever, that conflict could not be avoided. From this point on, they would be fighting the bugs head on.

"Securing the space station means we will have to take control of the command centre. The access passage is the most direct route."

The Twi'lek, ever optimistic stood up, ready to offer aid. "We will help you!"

Her Cathar companion, however, was less than enthaustic. "No, we won't!" He stated, none too gruffly.

"He's right. We appreciate the offer but it would be best if you remain here where it is safe." The last thing anyone needed was even more Joiners. Dealing with the three infected would be bad enough.

Steeling herself, Sybella tried to salvage some equipment from within the security hub; they needed to protect themselves from the Killiks and their brainwashing mucus. Visors, shields and masks worked best. Tossing a pack to Cori, the knight doned what little she could fined. For extra measure, measure, she wrapped a part of her shawl over the lower part of her face; it wasn't much but it was something.

"We should move fast. The Killiks will be our biggest threat." Once certain Cori was ready to move, Sybella turned to the two survivors. "When we leave, reseal these doors. We'll reestablish the communication system when we take the command centre."

"And what if you don't? What if you fail?"

Sybella, looking rather indignant, chose not to honour the comment with any sort of response. Instead, she pried open of the side doors and checked the connecting hallway. The coast was clear, for now. With once last glance, she ventured forth and drew her saber.

 

[Corinna Amanar]

The Fallanassi nodded in agreement. The control over the command center would be necessary if they wanted to secure the space station against the invaders. However, the Knight was certain that the Killiks and Joiners were going to oppose them. It meant that they would need to kill all of them. She wasn’t excited to do it.

Corinna smiled at the Twi’lek’s optimism, but she agreed with both the Cathar and Sybella. It would be too dangerous for both the two to follow the Jedi to the command center. They would need to fight and even kill their friends that became Joiners. She would like them to avoid such thing if possible.

“Yes, you two should remain here and be careful.” she said, before moving to help Sybella find anything useful that they could use. “Thank you.” Corinna picked the mask that her fellow Jedi had offered to her and immediately put it on. At least now they could protect themselves against the Killik’s attempts to infect them.

With everything settled, Corinna followed Sybella out of the room. Like her fellow Jedi, she didn’t answer the Cathar’s question. She was more concerned with the possibility of needing to fight against the Joiners. If at least they had a way of healing these people, the death of innocents weren’t going to happen again.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Remaining vigilant, Sybella hurried along passage way; she made sure every so often to check the usual blindspots. Bugs had a nasty habit of dropping out of no where and taking their victims by surprised. The knight would be damned if they suffered the same fate.

"Corinna, have you fought killiks before?" She wanted to ensure the Fallanassi knew what she was getting herself in to. Those blasted insectoids could be tricky to handle, what with their pheromones and mucus.

For a moment, Sybella even considered sending her companion back, as a final guard incase the worse should happen. A Jedi Joiner was a terrible thing, but two? The horrors would be unimaginable. Yet, deep down, the kohl-eyed knight knew better. @Corinna Amanar would not accept such a request; she would stay and fight, like a true champion of the Order.

As it stands, it was too late to too back now. Ahead of them, guarding the main door, were three armed persons. A togruta and two zabraks. In all honesty, Joiners were sometimes hard to identify; they still had a degree of sentience, their logical thinking and rationale functioned fine, even under the influence of the Hive mind. There was, however, one way to confirm any suspicion. Reaching out through the Force, Sybella probed the minds of the trio. Those untrained in mental fortification could, admittedly, shake off such basic influence, but exploring the mind of Joiner...that was an entirely different story. Instead of reading one mind, you were assailed with many; voices buzzed within every recess, muttering orders and hissing commands. After a while, it all bled into the same, interfering sound.

Unable to listen to it for much longer, Sybella withdrew, saddened to confirm that indeed these were the Joiners. The Killiks must have placed them here as guards whilst the bugs themselves held the command centre. Which begs the question, what exactly were they doing up there? A question for later. Now, it was time for action.

Resolute as ever, Sybella drew her saber, muttering to herself only this, "There is no death, only the Force..."

Spoiler

coin toss - tails = the joiners

 

[Corinna Amanar]

Corinna followed Sybella through the passageway, remaining close to her. The Fallanassi paid close attention to his surroundings, having even opened herself to the Force. This way she would detect if any danger approached them. From what she had read, the Killiks were used to doing ambushes against their victims.

“No, but I have been studying them.” while she never had the opportunity to fight them, Corinna still sought to learn about these enemies. They needed all the knowledge that they could gather to fight against such a dangerous threat. Every Jedi should be prepared to deal with them.

Suddenly, Corinna felt something or someone approaching through the Force. Whoever was coming was full of ill intention. This presence in the Force revealed to three armed people and without any doubt they were Joiners. If she hadn't seen the security footage, the Knight would have thought that they were common individuals. It wasn’t a surprise that the infected could enter in so many places without being detected.

The Fallanassi took a deep breath, preparing for the inevitable fight. Since there was no cure for the Joiner’s condition, the two Jedi would be forced to end their lives. She wondered if it would be possible for them to capture these people alive. Perhaps there could still be a cure for them in the future.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

"Forgive me.." That was all Sybella could say, the only piece of penance she could offer before she began the assault. The Joiners went onto the offensive rather quickly - they didn't even try to act amenable; perhaps the Hive was already aware of the Jedi's presence. Did the command centre have access to observation monitors as well? Regardless, it mattered lost. The element of surprise had been lost and all that was left to do now was meet the threat head-on.

Breaking away from @Corinna Amanar, Sybella hoped to divert and split the concentration of fire. She dodged and deflected the blaster bolts, all whilst ducking and diving in order to gain some ground. Using the Force, the Serennian placed a choke hold on the nearest body; the Troguta was her first target, yet he seemed completely unhindered, still popping off shots despite the crushing invisible grip strangling at his throat. With a secure grasp of her enemy, Sybella wrenched the male forward so that he was in striking range. Her lightsaber swung down, severing the Troguta's arm at the shoulder; he didn't make a sound, even at the cauterizing of his flesh. He just stared at the offending limb, awaiting direction once more - a puppet ready for another pull of its string. The Hive must have renewed its order to attack because yet again the Troguta charged, mindlessly flailing his remaining fist, all whilst gnashing the tips of his pointed teeth.

Cursing, Sybella chided herself. She should have taken his head, should have made it a clean kill but (like a fool) she had hesitated at the last minute, still saddened by the unfairness of it all. Without the control of these accursed bugs, these people wouldn't need to die to needlessly. They wouldn't have to be cut down like mindless drones. When this was over, the Knight would mourn for these people...

She would not, however, find displeasure in exterminating those vile killiks.

Spoiler

Dice/coin:
Joiner's style of attack: Heads = offensive
Sybella's attack on the Troguta: 14/20

 

[Corinna Amanar]

Like Sybella, Corinna also couldn’t do much to help the Joiners besides asking forgiveness. Without a cure for their condition, the Fallanassi could do nothing to save their lives. She could at least find some comfort that they were going to find freedom in the Force, no long being slaves of the Killiks.

While his fellow Jedi moved, Corinna activated her lightsaber. She rarely used it, preferring to use her abilities with the Force. Being trained as a Fallanassi, the half-Morellian had learned how to use the White Current. It was her most powerful ally. However, this space station wasn’t a good place for her to use it.

With her lightsaber in hand, the Knight deflected the shots from one of the Zabrak Joiners. Rather than sending it back to him, Corinna made sure that it would hit the walls. If she needed to kill him, she at least wanted to make it in a way that there would be no unnecessary suffering.

Due to that, Corinna increased her speed with the Force. First she cut off the Zabrak’s hand, removing the blaster from him. Then, she moved her lightsaber and cut his head off. It rolled on the floor and soon was followed by the lifeless body that collapsed. “May you find peace in the Force.” she muttered, before turning to the other Joiners.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

"The Hive...is...endless. The Hive is...eternal."

The bugs. Even now they were speaking through the wounded Togruta. The link with their Joiners was strong, their control almost absolute. Despite missing an arm, the male was still swinging at her. It was both disgusting, and impressive but the Serennian was quick to silence such insufferable words. She slashed at the Togruta and cut him down; he fell, like so many others, lifeless - now, nothing more than a discarded doll.

With the final joiner distracted by @Corinna Amanar, Sybella made her move. Swift of foot, she made a dash at them, pivoting so that she was planted directly behind. With one thrust of her lightsaber, she skewered the Zabrak, her blade pushing itself right through his chest. Striking from behind was a deplorable manoeuvre but in this case, the knight deemed it necessary. There was no honour in a fight like this, only cold necessity. They weren't fighting warriors, after all, they were exterminating bugs and their unwilling puppets. Cori had the right idea. Quick and painless.

Yet Sybella wasn't as quick as she could have been. Instead, she let her blade linger, for just a moment. The screams of the Zabrak (whilst fleeting) were painful to hear but they were precisely what the Jedi wanted to observe. She was curious - if the killiks were linked through a Hive, sending thoughts and commands over a unified mind, could they also share an experience? Right now, could those bugs feel the burn of her saber? Did they share in this Joiner's agony?

Part of her...hoped so.

Realising this terrible thought, Sybella finally stepped back and sheathed her weapon. She didn't look at Cori, nor did she pay much attention to the three deceased Joiners. Instead, her eyes of liquid silver looked ahead.

In front of them were the doors to the command centre. With narrowed eyes, the knight thought for a moment before deciding their next move. "Corinna, I'll handle this myself. Stay here and make sure none escape." She knew her companion would object, but they couldn't take any chances.

Calling on the Force once more, Sybella ruptured open the doors that stood between her and the bugs; there were three of them, huddled around the control panel as if in discussion. Were they trying to gain better control of the station? Whatever their plan was, it struck the Jedi as odd; they weren't immediately hostile, as one would expect. If anything, they seemed...weak? Could Killiks suffer from the effects of fatigue? Perhaps their prolonged travel on the junker had left them vulnerable. Unfortunately (for them), what little pity Sybella had died with the joiners she was forced to kill. No matter how feeble they seemed, the alien bugs were a threat to everyone and everything...

She had no choice. Sybella had to kill them.

The only redeeming caveat in all this? She would make it quick, which is probably more than what they deserved. With little more than a hiss, Sybella cut down the three killiks; she slashed two across their elongated thoraxes, while completely beheading the last, remaining one. They died as they had lived, clicking with that insufferable sound until finally, there was only silence.

/end.

Spoiler

Dice: Attack on last Joiner - 15/20
How many bugs? 3/4
How strong is their offensive potential? 2/20
Sybella's blitz attack - 16/20

Editing the thread to wrap it up/complete.