Ask Invasion Attack On Dathomir

[Aadya Rasheer]

Aadya followed Wiley back to his shuttle and boarded it, her mind on the task at hand even if her expression seemed far off and distant. She couldn't help but crack a smile at the Knight-Captain's question, it was nice to be under the command of someone who wasn't nose to the grindstone serious.

Better to be lucky than good, Captain. Aadya replied, taking out her lightsaber and holding it tightly in her hand.

She was under no illusions that bargaining with the Nightsisters was actually going to work. She'd delt with enough fanatical savages in her time to know that betraying the Queen Mother was simply not going to be in the cards. She would meet their aggression in kind, it had been too long since Aadya had heard the soothing screamsong of enemies dying in vain before her.

Eyes staring at the ground as it whipped below them, Aadya would do her best to keep an eye out for anything that looked suspicious. Even the creatures of Dathomir would come to defend their Queen and their home, it wasn't just the witches they needed to look out for.

She would wait for additional orders from the Captain, anticipation growing steadily in her gut.

 

[Astrid al-Bahir]

Astrid heard the new orders over comms and one Knight's volunteering for the front with the Grand Marshall. She made sure the barricades and guard were in place before moving to the Knight-Captain's shuttle, stepping aboard with the others. "May the Force serve us well. For the Empire," she spoke over comms. This mission would be dangerous for all of them. "Sergeant Harken, you have command." He saluted, "Yes, lieutenant. Good luck." Then returned to the eastern front.

Her helmet turned to look at the Knight-Captain and his skull. "Both, Captain." She nodded to her fellow Knights. Rasheer was a veteran of the Sith-run Empire and while her demeanor didn't exactly scream regimented military order, her combat skill and experience were proven. She and Winnz were to be respected. And while al-Bahir wasn't fond of leaving her squad behind to guard the FOB, the new Empire no longer had the greatest disadvantage of the Sith, imposed upon themselves by millennia of self-serving and self-destructive tradition.

They did not fight alone or solely for themselves. They fought for their fellow soldiers and for their Empire. Peace must be fought for, even if the fight wasn't one they chose. Astrid softly sighed and turned to look out the window, long, pointed-tip tail waving restlessly in the air behind her before wrapping neatly about her waist.

Before long the ship landed at their first destination; the reported home of the Singing Mountain clan. Astrid was last to board and first to depart, stepping out into the clearing they'd found just near the village. Astrid was on guard, although she hadn't drawn a weapon just yet. Orders were to handle the locals diplomatically if possible. To that end, she put herself in danger first rather than directly risk their commanding officer, Winnz, in case of an ambush.

@Logan @Sreeya @Darasuum @Arcangel

 

[Katara]

Katara watched with patience as the parley played out, and ended much as she had thought it would. There had never been a doubt in her mind that this would end in bloodshed, and as the Imperial leaders started screaming bloody murder the Nighsisters were ready.

As the troops began advancing, there would be silence among the trees where Katara and some of her sisters waited, the head of the column passing before them. Whatever the scouts had seen had left them shaken, but much of the regiment was unaware of that fact, so they marched undeterred, unprepared. Emboldened by the words of their leaders, they did not know what awaited them.

Katara nodded, and a nearby sister let lose with her bow. Suddenly from the trees an arrow shot out, piercing a soldier's leg and dragging him away, screaming and shouting, into the trees. After a moment the screams stopped, and there was silence yet again. Then another arrow shot out from the other side of the column, dragging away another soldier. More screams, more silence.

As the troops moved, Katara began chanting under her breath, preparing her magick for what was to come next.

@Alhon @Raydo @Altaris

 

[Renfry]

Spooky Post Theme​

he Nightsisters taught that Dathomir was the intersection point between life and death. Spirits from all across the galaxy came to this world to pass from the realm of the living, across the Veil, and into the world of the dead: One with the Force.

Perhaps this was a fitting fact because today would be a day of death on Dathomir.

Deep within the jungle, Renfry and ten of her Sisters began a quiet chant. Thick green smoke began to spring from the ground across the battlegrounds. The natural thick red fog became all the more intensive as it mixed with the green. Perhaps if it were any other planet the mix of red and green might have brought memories of Life Day celebrations, but here on Dathomir, it brought only the quiet whispers of the dead, near-nonexistent visibility, and the feeling of being surrounded.

Strike Team​

As @Altair Din and @Ailis Drast would make their way forward toward the palace, they would find their progress significantly faster than an entire army. They would draw out ahead and make it nearly to the palace before they encountered their first signs of resistance and before the first of the fog began to swallow them up.

Sheehan and her huntresses had been tracking them through the wilderness, and their small strike force would find themselves abruptly peppered by arrows from their own left from energy bows, felling some of the troopers before anyone would even be aware of what was happening. So far, the Dathomirians seemed to be keeping to the trees and bushes at range, avoiding a direct confrontation.

The Imperials would be faced with a choice: stand and fight where they stood, press on and make a run for the temple, or attempt to flee in the direction opposite where the Nightsisters were attacking and deeper into the jungle in a sense.

Main Assault Force​

One of the first things that @Max Dram would notice was that both the juggernaut and AT-M9s were super-heavy vehicles and were having real issues. Between an inability to weave between knots of trees, mud pits scattered in the ground, and an absolutely uncanny propensity to get stuck in roots (that he would begin to suspect wasn't natural), they would realize that doing anything other than abandoning the vehicles on this particular planet was just going to slow them to a degree that would turn this into a multi-week campaign.

The Scorpios, Occupiers, and urban walkers seemed to be fairing better. Although not exactly making speed records, they seemed capable of moving through the area with far fewer issues at least for the moment. The Treadspeeders would be the most successful, able to move through with relative ease and speed that would suddenly make them far more attractive than anything else the Imperials had on hand.

Although burning out the forest may seem appealing, the humidity and fog would make that difficult on anything more than a very short range scale.

The main force would suffer the greatest troubles as they were still the primary attention of the Nightsisters. It began with arrows launched from deep in the forest like those of @Katara's fighters, initial peppering was followed by the near-immediate retreat of the Nightsisters as a handful of casualties were inflicted.

The scouts on the perimeter set up by @Jonathen Baize would take the worst of the hits, and it probably saved the main force from taking worse damage out of the gate.

That was when the myst began to rise. Dropping visibility to only a few feet in front of one's face and leaving a sense of unrelenting dread over the troops it covered the retreat of the first wave of Nightsisters as they began to retreat into the jungle again.

The Imperials at the main force, too, would have to decide whether to press forward to the palace or begin chasing the insurgents deeper into the jungle.

Imperial Knights​

Although the Imperial Knights would not be able to land directly in the village of the Singing Mountain Clan, they would find a small clearing not far from the village. They would all be able to sense the life nearby... sentient life.

They would gain a distinct impression of being watched, though as of yet, not attacked. They could make their way to the village directly or investigate the area further, but ultimately the decision would be up to them. From this far away, they were not subjugated to the full effect of the gathering myst, and could have almost forgotten they were here at war. Almost.

Their next steps may well decide the fate of the entire invasion and would certainly determine whether they, personally, lived or died.

 

[Astrid al-Bahir]

Astrid's tail tightened further around her waist as a vague sense of dread spread across the group along with the rising fog. This place very clearly rejected the Imperial forces in a way most planets did not- could not. She tried to remember the reports on Dathomir- limited as they were- as she activated her helmet's thermal vision and scanned the landing area. Her senses told her they were being watched, but there wasn't anything obvious around them.

There was a vague recollection of a heavily matriarchal society. Who knows how out of date that intel was, but Astrid quietly decided to remain in front. Who knows how they might react to Winnz. Per procedure, Astrid strode slightly further from the ship to examine their immediate surroundings. Still, nothing obvious. But there was something- someone- there and it had yet to attack them.

Trusting her instincts and her training as a negotiator, she took a couple of steps forward until a certain sense of something warned her against even a single step more. Knight al-Bahir stopped in place, posture straight, and steadily raised both hands up in a respectful gesture directed... vaguely at the village and the trees, from which she could sense life.

"Respected Nightsisters of Singing Mountain. I am Imperial Knight Astrid al-Bahir. We seek an audience in good faith." Grand Marshall Din had passed down orders to attempt diplomacy and Astrid fully intended to honor that ideal. Besides, every Knight there would know the people of this village already knew they were there. Hard to hide the arrival of an entire ship. She retained her pose- an Induparan tradition- to show she had no intention of drawing weapons from her belt.

If there was danger, she was relying on her fellow knights to back her up.

@Darasuum @Logan @Phoenix

Spoiler: TLDR

Astrid makes a respectful gesture and requests an audience with the Singing Mountain clan.

 

[Altair Din]

“TAKE COVER!” Altair shouted as the arrows peppered them. Some of his men fell at once, but others dropped for cover. With the plasma from the energy bolts already adding heat, the tiefling rapidly applied the Force to create a spark of fire. He channeled it towards the forests, his Sith Lord strength coming into play as he sent blinding heat into the treeline where the Nightsisters were positioned. Within moments the forest would be ignited and Altair churned the flames in a ring around where the arrows originated.

“FLANK THEM!” He called out to the soldiers that were part of the strike team. The men would rush to the sides of his radius of fire where the Nightsisters would likely flee from the intense heat. They would rush right into waiting blasterfire and grenades from either direction. Altair’s men were fewer in number, but they were strategically placed.

The tiefling charged through the columns of flame, immune to the fire and impossible heat. He knew the Nightsisters would focus their efforts on dispersing the smoke or attempting to suppress the flames that agonized their precious plants and trees. Altair searched right for the Nightsister in command, intending to take her out before making a push to the temple. He knew if he let this group go, they would regroup at the palace and make that battle far more difficult, and he couldn’t risk the strike team venturing far into the jungle and getting too isolated.

@Phoenix @Arcangel

 

[Jonathen Baize]

They marched forward to the palace; scouts reported movement in the tree canopy. "Take cover and fire on the tree canopy!" he shouted as he himself took cover himself and returned fire just as arrows began falling. Soldiers were injured and some killed, but it was a relatively small amount of casualties, an opening volley. Blaster bolts flashed through the tree canopy after the retreating night sisters.

Soon the fog started to roll in. "Engage your scout hud compasses. Our goal is the palace; set your mark at bearing 28 degrees northeast," he continued giving orders. This would ensure his soldiers didn't lose their bearing as the mist enveloped them. Soon the arrows ceased, and they were in almost total blindness, only being guided by their Scout HUDs. At the front, they wouldn't break off into the forest unless ordered; in this fog, it would be a nightmare to coordinate. Instead, pushing the assault on the palace in the wake of the strike team ahead.

"Continue forward! The mist obscures your vision, but there's as well. " he spoke over his regiment comm, trying to reassure to soldiers as they pressed forward.

"I want our flame throwers clearing out our front left and front right flanks, " he told the appropriate companies. They couldn't get bogged down in trying to clear out all of the forests up to the palace, but this would push the forest away from the immediate flanks. Smoke would also begin to rise into the tree tops providing them more cover, their own filters protecting them.

"This is Commander Baize to command. Enemies have pulled back after their initial attack. We are pressing forward through the mist to the palace. Requesting armor focus their attention off the tree canopies to the flanks for the front column." he requested to command.

@Phoenix @Wit @Alhon @Sreeya

Spoiler: TLDR

*Soldiers engaged enemies as they were being attacked from tree canopies
*Soldiers engaged Scout HUDS and set bearing for the palace.
*Column commanded to push forward to the palace
*Detachment of flamethrowers clearing out the front left and front right flanks. Pushing the jungle back and creating a smoke barrier
* Requested armor focus fire on tree canopies to the column's flank.

 

[Max Dram]

Max's own second wave had not long set off when the AT-M9s began reporting issues. Large enough to flatten most vegetation, the pilots were still moaning that heavy roots kept pinning the back legs. The General fumed. All Terrain was literally in the name.

The Juggernaut itself was faring slightly better, its wheeled suspension built for the rough and ready. Still, Max had to grip a rail as another root cluster suddenly stalled them, having to be ripped free by a UA-TT's heavy grapple arm. It was only going to get worse.

The General saw the billowing green smoke magnified on the viewscreen and the first sounds of blaster fire rang through the open window. "Spotlights front and flanks" he ordered. The Juggernaut's twenty spotlights flared, white beams punching part way through the growing gloom.

If they were going to lose the larger vehicles, then they would get one last use out of them. They could not strike forward without risking hitting Altair's unit, but they could damn well shoot back. Max keyed the comm to the AT-M9s and all armoured units.

Theme​

"Target either flank, raking fire just outside our perimeter, all cannons and turrets. Burn the bitches".

All the walkers and tanks opened fire in unison, the piercing sound of cannon fire splitting the air. Targeting computers rained a hail of crimson death from the walkers' vantage point above the smoke, tearing into the jungle either side of the Imperial force and carving parallel lines flame and destruction. The M9s kyber crystal-powered cannons were a violent affront to nature, felling century old trees and tearing up the earth, the indiscriminate heavy fire catching several squatting Nightsisters and routing others.

The Juggernaut joined in, turning its own weapons towards those who had struck the 12th. "Not the concussion missiles" the General said, catching the gunners wrist as the vehicle ran aground again. "Unload them, we're taking them with us".

Max ordered the crew out of the addled Juggernaut, leaving its systems locked out but the spotlights on. They would help for a distance yet. He strode forward, past the infantry unit hastily unloading the missiles into personnel launchers.

"Roger that Commander, good call. We'll keep up armored fire as long as we can" he replied to Baize (@Raydo ) "All units adopt 28 degree compass bearing, press forward to the palace. A6 and M9s are withdrawing, Scorpion 5 is re-designated Command". The General hauled himself up to ride on the closest Scorpion tank's rear gantry as it rolled onward.

Max switched channel. "Grand Marshal this is Dram, we have skirmishes on the flanks, but still advancing on your position Sir" (@Sreeya ).

Spoiler: TL: DR

• Juggernaut spotlights partly combating the fog
• Walkers, tanks and Juggernaut firing along the left and right flanks
• AT-M9s and Juggernaut withdrawing, concussion missiles retained
• All units using compass bearing to keep heading
• All forces pushing towards the palace

@Phoenix @Logan @Mr. Teatime @Darasuum @Arcangel @Wit @Altaris

 

[Ailis Drast]

Ailis wasn't sure what came first, the laser darts that flew through the air and peppered their position or Altair's shout to take cover. Either way the brilliant yellow light of Ailis lightsaber cut through the murky red and green mist as she activated the primary blade of her battle staff with a snap-hiss, batting away a few of the bolts that sought out the flesh of her and the soldiers behind her.

There was a slight moment of awe mixed with terror from the soldiers and herself as Altair evoked an inferno that fwooshed its way in and towards the ambushing nightsisters.

"With me!" Ailis shouted to half of the men, leading them forwards and around on one flank to skirt the edges of the conflagration. The heat drove against them but they stayed well enough away to avoid injury as they rushed to gain a flanking position on the enemy that Grand Marshal Din was charging at, head on into the flames.

Ailis would lead the flanking position, standing forward of the men who sought positions of cover from which to fire at any nightsisters that emerged from the inferno. The Imperial Knight herself stood at the ready, lightsaber blazing and a grasp on the force ready to use it to defend or fight as the situation demanded.

Spoiler: TLDR

Ailis leads half the troops to flank in the general 'forward' direction of their original heading. Soldiers prepare to receive any nightsisters fleeing from the blaze and Ailis stands with her lightsaber, prepared to attack or defend with the force

@Sreeya @Phoenix

 

[Asher Teric]

Asher barely had time to react before it happened.

The screams of his fellow soldiers seemed to echo unnaturally throughout the entire jungle, causing his entire body to tense as a result. He caught glimpses of the men that were hit with arrows and dragged off through the roots and bramble, silenced forever by the natives. It was a reminder just how poorly the Imperials understood Dathomir.

It was a reminder that the planet itself rebelled against their arrival.

His rifle rose by instinct, unleashing a few bolts of crimson plasma deeper into the jungle and past the treeline. He had no ability to see where the Nightsisters were hiding in wait, especially with the mist that Renfry continued to channel to block their field of vision.

Pulling one of the Grenades from his belt, the soldier pulled the pin and threw it deeper into the jungle - in the general direction that the Nightsisters had been assaulting them from. Within seconds, smoke would begin to fill the general vicinity. While it would be filtered out by the helmets that most troopers wore, their enemy would be forced to flee from its range and potentially expose themselves in doing so.

He kept his blaster rifle poised, pulling the trigger back at the sign of any movement deeper into the jungle.

@Alhon @Sreeya @Raydo @Phoenix

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

When it came right down to it, despite her silver tongue, Aadya was no negotiator. When it came to approaching compromise or resolution, it was always her own interests she place ahead of others - even if they didn't quite realize it.

As such, she remained quiet as they exited the ship and Astrid took the reigns. She sounded like she knew what she was talking about and it all seemed amicable enough, but Aadya couldn't shake the feeling that they were simply being surrounded like the Nightsisters were quietly tying a noose around their neck.

She scanned her eyes around, looking for danger through the mist and in the trees, able to see into the ultraviolet spectrum which might let her see things others could not. Of course, when it came to the weird Magick the Sisters employed, it was entirely possible that even Aadya wouldn't see anything they didn't want her to see.

She kept her senses up and was keenly on guard, her weapon still held in her hand though it would remain disactivated. She was going to at least see where Astrid's approach might get them, even if she thought the entire thing foolish.

Spoiler: tl'dr

Aadya uses her superior vison to attempt to see any Nightsisters or other things that might be trying to surround them, but for now only remains on guard while Astrid attempts diplomacy.

@Mr. Teatime @Darasuum @Phoenix

 

[Wiley Winnz]

Spoiler: Theme

The man gave an amused murmur at Aadya’s answer. “You’re not wrong.” He nodded, accepting her answer. But he let out a chuckle followed by snapping his fingers and pointing towards Astrid. “That’s my kind of answer!” It was clear he was grinning underneath his helmet by the tone of his voice. “We know this. They know this. Let’s not be jerks and rub their faces in it.” This was the witchs' home and it would be in the Knights' collective best interest to remember this. The galaxy spanning Empire loomed beyond its atmosphere and the aging conqueror did not want to enable a planet to ultimately doom itself.

Wiley Winnz noticed the mixing red and green colors in the mists of the planet before the shuttle touched down. The man hoped the environmental suit incorporated into his armor and aided by his enclosed helmet would prevent him from any dangerous airborne hazards. The distant thump and echoes of war reached the mountain tops as the shuttle’s engines powered down. Pockets of mist would light up from explosions underlighting the combat. The two wings of the Upsilon III folded above the landing zone and took up minimal space close to the village.

The Imperial-Knight Captain would give the leaders of the native tribes a chance like the one his own leader had given to Queen Renfry if they showed themselves. They had a choice to make. Ahead of them was a crossroads and they had a responsibility in the consequences that followed. If they searched his feelings they would know he had no intentions of deceiving them. There was no point.

As a Sith, Wiley may have used fear and a show of force to make an example. But he did not need to do such a thing back in those days. It was simply something the bloodthirsty ex-dark sider had been capable of doing without a second thought. But now this Empire was meant to be better and motivated him to be so as well.

The ranking officer of the Knights walked calmly down the debarkation ramp followed by his personal guard of two Knights. The two following the Knight-Captain were told to guard the shuttle's entrance and wait. Astrid took point with her own pair of red and black uniforms but continued to hold off on drawing weapons. The ex-Jazaq continued to look for signs of the Nightsisters as the Sephi-Tiefling spoke their intentions to the surroundings, hoping someone would listen. (@Mr. Teatime )

While the man’s senses reached out to safely be aware of potential ambushers, he remained on guard for attacks against their mind. But furthermore, he wanted to keep a sense of how his subordinates were feeling. Astrid was a new face for Wiley and seemed to be proving herself thus far.

Aadya on the other hand did not need to prove herself because Wiley knew what she was capable of, especially after Rago. Still she had her own duo of knights flanking her. The Imperial Knights were better than the Sith and did not need to be so weak as to rely on the Dark Side in his opinion. Hopefully none of them would fall to its corrupting siren call or at least, not be controlled by it. Aadya might notice his attention lingering on her for a moment. The other Knights in red and black armor formed up behind him with martial discipline. Out of everyone perhaps the two of them knew how enticing the Dark Side could be. (@Logan )

Spoiler: TL;DR

Wiley follows Astrid and keeps an eye (force sense) on the surroundings. He fortifies his mind to protect against Mental Manipulation. He’s also keeping an eye on his subordinates.

@Sreeya @Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Strike Team​

The Nightsisters moving against the Grand Marshal understood the weight of the danger they were in. Or at least, Sheehan did. She had written her life off in service to her Queen long ago. She should have died fighting the Eternal, and everything after that was simply a bonus: in the bleak midwinter.

The Queensguard leapt at the Grand Marshal as he pushed through the flames, and it was just down to the two of them for the moment. The Nightsister wielded a short polearm forged of magick and capable of withstanding even a lightsaber strike, with an axe blade at one end and a semi-blunted speartip at the other.

She swung it down at the tiefling, looking to cleave him straight in two vertically as soon as he cleared the flames.

One of Sheehan's "officers" a First from the Stinging Waters Clan fell upon Ailis. With a magick-forged duskblades in her right hand, she let a green orb of magick energy flow from her left directly at the Imperial Knight, looking to knock Ailis over and stumbling back into the other Imperials.

Meanwhile, the losses of both Nightsister and Imperial were harsh. The flames had displaced several of the Sisters, exposing them to the blasterfire from the Imperials, but they returned it just as quickly. Bodies from both sides dropped to the ground.

The dampness of the jungle meant that the flames remained relatively close, but the smoke they billowed was far more severe as was always the case with damp burns. It forced several of the Nightsisters onto a retreat, repositioning in an attempt to find better positions.

Several others, still, leapt for the Imperial soldiers. Although outnumbered, they were able to hold their own against the small Imperial force with a mixture of magick and Force-enhanced reflexes. The clashing sounds of blade against armor and blaster bolt against flesh rang out as the fighting became thicker.

In truth, it was a small skirmish. Not many troops from either side were involved, but those who were, were critically important. Two of the highest ranking officers from either side were at the battle against one another, and the outcome would inevitably be critical to the coming fight.

Main Assault Force​

The concussions missiles and flames did manage to force the Nightsisters back, and the Imperials would even hear some scattered screams following the missile strikes: the sound of the dead and dying, but despite that, they wouldn't feel any peace about what had happened.

They would decide to push forward, but at what cost? Moving in such a formation and by burning out and blasting everything around them meant that it was incredibly slow going. Over the course of the next several minutes, they would have only gained a few yards as they had to wait for the fires to subside and press onward. The infantry would be fine, but their decision to burn out the flanks just further limited the ability of the tanks to maneuver through. They certainly could continue on this course, but for how long? When would they run out of fuel? How long would it take to reach the palace? How much longer to actually find the Queen? These were the questions that would be bouncing around the minds of the officers as they made their slow way forward.

Imperial Knights​

At the landing zone for the Imperial Knights, the announcement of the Knights was met initially by silence. Although Aadya would be able to make out what she might think were Nightsisters among the trees, it was difficult to say for sure. Though, moments later one of those possible-people turned out to definitely be a person as she emerged from the foliage, a polearm in one hand that she planted firmly into the ground at her side.

You do not belong on Dathomir, she said. Simple, firm, straight to the point. You could have cut the tension in the air with a blunted knife. The Nightsister representative - whoever precisely she was was a mystery because she hadn't actually introduced herself - was all scowls and seriousness, but what could you expect from a Dathomirian? They weren't exactly a hospitable group.

 

[Katara]

Katara continued chanting as sisters fell, a stray shot landing close enough to send splinters of wood flying out and leaving a slice across her cheek, pulling her out from her casting. But it didn't matter, as the mists rose, she pulled back with her sisters. There were casualties, some quick, some slow and loud as screams rose from their ranks as well. But she did not pause, they had done their part, it was up to her to honor that by doing hers.

As they pulled back, a few sisters stayed in the trees after a slight retreat while the rest continued. As the Imperials tried to burn the trees and move in, waiting for the flames to subside, the sisters added to the confusion by firing arrows into their midst. The mists might limit visibility, but even through the mists the bouts of flame that shot out from their flamethrowers made them easy targets.

As for Katara, deeper in the woods she continued moving parallel to the assault line, giving the order for those too injured to continue to pull back, though many refused and stayed.

@Alhon @Raydo @Altaris

 

[Astrid al-Bahir]

Astrid made calm eye contact with the Nightsister who emerged from the trees. Her arms steadily moved to remove her helmet after the local representative planted herself in front of the trees. The Imperial Knight's posture was composed and straight-backed, but non-threatening. Now they were speaking face to face, serious and scowling to serious and unemotional.

"We do not. We won't be staying." The blunt truth, easily sensed. It also meant that Imperial didn't intend to occupy Dathomir. "We are here to bring Queen Renfry to trial for burning worlds much like Dathomir was during the Clone Wars." It was almost ironic. The Confederacy had nearly wiped the Nightsisters out entirely, and their Queen had unleashed much the same on other cultures. Typical Sith barbarism to Astrid's mind and hopefully a point of empathy for negotiation.

"If she is captured or turned over, the fighting ends and our forces will leave immediately." Astrid's pointed ears slightly twitched. "I want both our peoples to be preserved, ma'am. The fighting will grind them down. I need your clan's help to prevent that." Again, the truth as Astrid understood it. Already the fighting was vicious on both sides. Imperials had numbers and weaponry while the Nightsisters had mobility and stealth in their home territory. Both sides already felt losses in the beginning engagements.

Astrid respectfully bowed her head, a gesture copied by the two other knights behind her. "We ask Singing Mountain clan's aid in capturing Queen Renfry. For the sake of your sisters and brothers, and for mine."

There were alternatives to fighting. Astrid had no desire to clash two armies together for the sake of capturing a single person because the senate decided it for them. But if their negotiations with the clans came up short, she would do what she must without hesitation. She knew the Nightsisters would do the same.

@Phoenix @Darasuum @Logan

Spoiler: Diplomacy TLDR

Astrid explains to the Nightsister representative that the Empire is not on Dathomir to occupy the planet or target their people and is only trying to capture Renfry. She tries to convince the clan to aid in Renfry's capture to end the fighting and preserve lives.

 

[Jonathen Baize]

Shots from armored units behind them tore through the trees to their flanks, sending splintered wood chips flying into the air.

The arrows came, and soldiers died, but the Imperials moved with the weight of thousands of soldiers. They marched forward, not hindered by the flames to their flanks. The flames also never grew to dangerous levels, the damp forest unyielding where they were not directly burning. It was not a fast assault, but that hadn't been the plan. As the night sisters shot their energy bows, they became targets for the unrelenting wall of blaster fire the Imperials thrown at them.

Those who had not retreated backward from the front lines would be overwhelmed by the assault. "Continue forward!" he urged his soldiers as they progressed. Ground had always been earned with the bodies of soldiers, and the Imperials had ample currency. Medics pulled their injured and dying off the front lines, but for every Imperial soldier downed, another was there to take their place. They were inevitable.

@Wit @Phoenix @Sreeya @Alhon

 

[Altair Din]

Altair thrust his left gauntleted arm up to meet the incoming strike. As Matukai, his fists were his weapons, and the clash would be akin to meeting her blade with his own. He did not meet her strike perpendicularly, but instead swiped the arm counterclockwise to send her polearm to the side. In that same, fluid motion, he would attempt to grasp the length of the polearm and yank towards himself with the same arm. With the cleaving motion she had attempted, no doubt a lot of forward momentum was put in the attack. Altair would attempt to capitalize on this and whirl in with a punch with his right fist towards her face. The goal would be to trap her weapon and draw her into a powerful attack.

Meanwhile, his men fell back and took cover from where the fire encircled the woods. They had better line of sight from their vantage point, and would take shots at any movement they saw in the treeline or any Nightsisters coming out to escape the flames. However, Altair’s strike team would not rush out into the open again, changing up their combat style to reflect the change in circumstance.

@Phoenix

 

[Wiley Winnz]

A reason that Wiley did not fear the Nightsisters completely was because of the historical reference Astrid made. There were few legitimate accounts of a landing force arriving let alone surviving or even winning against the local defenders. However the event that the tiefling referenced would hopefully be recognized as something that could be repeated. The toll of nightsister lives was said to have been high and now it could be so much worse.

“Keep it up, al-Bahir.” He encouraged Astrid as he turned and headed back towards the shuttle. They had just landed but all of them did not need to stay. The hearts and minds of the Dathomirian people were fighting for their Queen for now, but that resolve would be tested. “You two, guard her as well.” His personal guard of two Knights would join the existing duo that flanked Astrid, increasing her personal knight squad to four.

“Knight Rasheer…” He addressed his other subordinate while she was in earshot and gave a wave of his left hand for her to join him. “...follow me. You're going to the Frenzied River then I'm going to Misty Falls.” They had all come onboard Wiley’s command shuttle meaning they only had one mode of transport for the moment. The Frenzied River tribe were closest and he could drop Aadya off with the remainder of Knights while he went to Misty Falls alone. They each needed to convince the leaders of the clans to make the choice that Renfry had not, to see what she could not.

The shuttle’s powerful engines would cycle up at the Knight-Captain’s signal. Once onboard, the Knights would leave the landing area of Knights and Dathomirians. When the command shuttle approached each location the ship would repeat the maneuvers it had performed when first arriving in the mountains. Knight Rasheer would also get two additional knights to her compliment as well but knew their rules of engagement. They did not want to appear threatening or hostile. “Good luck, Knight Rasheer.” He would tell the woman, hoping that was not his last words to a comrade. At least the shuttle crew would get to witness his likely gruesome death if that becomes the case. If it happens, please, at least let it be fast He begged the Force silently.

@Logan @Mr. Teatime @Phoenix

Spoiler: TL;DR

Wiley leaves the diplomatic chat with the mountain tribe to Astrid. The command shuttle takes Aadya to the Frenzied River clan and finally Wiley to the Misty Falls clan or somewhere nearby each tribe/village. Also Astrid and Aadya get a few extra Knight NPC bodyguards and Wiley goes alone.

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

Aadya nodded her head at Wiley’s instruction, following him without protest. She still wasn’t used to taking orders from people she was certain she could kill without much effort, but such were the rules under a government like the Empire.

The trip to the Frenzied River Clan was short and for that Aadya was thankful. To her, the likelihood the Nightsisters brought down their ship only grew the longer it was in the air, and Aadya was relieved when her boots touched solid ground again.

May the force be with you, Captain. The words felt odd coming out of her mouth. It was a statement of well wishes Aadya hadn’t used in decades, since the long ago time when she was still a Jedi.

But she could think of nothing else now that would be more appropriate given the circumstances. Meeting the last two tribes essentially alone seemed like signing your own death note.

With a rudimentary understanding of where she should go, Aadya made her way towards what she assumed was the Frenzied River. She’d spotted it as they flew and even from far above the waters seemed to rush and roil, the river earning its namesake.

Sisters of the Frenzied River Tribe, Aadya called out as she pressed on, the two other Imperial Knights giving her a little room as they marched behind her. My name is Aadya Rasheer and I respectfully request an audience.

Again, Aadya was no negotiator and did feel slightly out of her depth here. But she had at least gotten a glimpse of Astrid’s approach, which she felt confident enough that she could mimic. At least until everything started falling apart.

For now, Aadya’s weapon remained tucked away. She could not fight an entire tribe of Nightsters on her own and she knew that, though that didn’t mean she wouldn’t try if things came down to it.

Hopefully things could be resolved long before she would need to fight for her life, though deep in her heart Aadya had little hope that would be the case.

Spoiler: tldr

Aadya is dropped off near the Frenzied River tribe. She begins making her way toward the river and pleads for an audience from the tribe, showing no hostility and doing her best to keep negotiation at the front of the table instead of violence.

@Mr. Teatime @Darasuum @Phoenix

 

[Ailis Drast]

Ailis eyes peered through the smoke, the flames and damp wood turning the forest into a haze of reddish-green mist mixed with billowing grey smoke. The visibility was a problem and she only just saw one of the enemy Nightsisters emerge from the smoke in front of her.

The blade of Ailis yellow saber moved in her right hand to intercept the greenish ball of energy that the nightsister had hurled at her as she emerged from the smoke, sending it sputtering into the mist. Ailis moved forwards and began closing the distance, not wanting to give the witch any more opportunities to work her vile magick.

Reaching out with her left hand as she advanced Ailis would grasp at the Nightsister and with a sudden pulling in of her arm the mystical energies of the force would wrap around the nightsister and draw her towards Ailis. If the pull were successful, she would swing her saber in a reaching horizontal slash coming from her right that would cut at the Nightsister's left abdomen and through out the right side.

Blaster fire filled the smoky clearing as the Imperial soldiers withdrew to cover, staying out of the open as they picked their targets and worked with trained efficiency as a cohesive unit, the fist of the Imperial army that would drive the Nightsister's back all the way to their palace.

@Phoenix