Ask Event Bacta 'Gainst the Wall

[The Gatekeeper]

Several Days Ago​

Beneath the surface of Thyferra was a vast network of caverns and tunnels, dug out millennia ago by both mother nature and Vratix hands. In times past this network served the people of Thyferra in numerous ways - cover in times of great storms, expediting travel through the thick jungles, et cetera.

But now, these tunnels were the most dangerous place on the entire planet. Deep down in the inky blackness, the soft scraping of chitinous legs skittering across the worn stone was the only sound that pierced the silence. Hidden deep in the labyrinthian belly of Thyferra, monsters lurked; waiting for their Queen to give them purpose.

Soon, she crooned to her children, though she spoke no words. Her thoughts were their thoughts.

In front of her was the Vratix Canir, Xuxil Quat, one of the two leaders of the entire planet of Thyferra. Just moments ago, Xuxil had undergone the process of Joining, becoming one with the Hive mind and loyal to nothing and no one except the Hive. Step one in the grand design had been completed.

On her throne of blood and bone, far below the open air of Thyferra, Nirn Saron sat and knew all. Her children's eyes were her eyes.

And they were everywhere.

Present Time, During the Events of Ruusan​

One of the largest benefits of belonging to the ISC was the security that it provided. Moreover, the ability to call upon friends and allies in times of dire need. As the last remaining Cadir, a Vratix named Gyxik Mqaa, sat staring at the information screen in front of him - this was exactly one of those times.

The events of Ruusan were unfolding before his eyes. He'd heard the calls for aid, though the Thyferrans could offer little. They had their own pressing matters at hand, it would seem. Several days ago they'd sent a delegation - including his friend, the other Cadir - to a meeting with the Killik people to discuss trade terms about bacta.

That was several days ago.

No one had heard from the delegation since they'd arrived, which wasn't entirely abnormal. Discussions could take time. It started to become strange when there had been absolute radio silence on the third day, both from the delegation and the Killiks themselves.

Then Ruusan happened.

Whatever was going on, Gyxik knew it could only be bad news now. The Killiks were on the warpath, and who knew what that meant for Thyferra and its precious bacta. Gyxik needed protection. The codes to required to alter the bacta supply required both Canir. If the Killiks already had one, it stood to reason they would be coming for Gyxik soon enough.

So, in a matter of desperation, he put out a general SOS on the ISC government's main line so that it would reach the Republic, the FWA, really anyone who had access to the holonet.

THYFERRA IN GRAVE DANGER!
CADIR XUXIL HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED BY KILLIK FORCES.
LOCATION UNKNOWN. BACTA SUPPLY IN GRAVE DANGER.
REQUEST AID ASAP.​

Sitting in his office, Gyxik could only sit and hope beyond hope that someone was able to arrive to help him. Familiar with the process of Joining, and knowing his own people were even more susceptible than most, the Cadir knew it wasn't safe to trust anyone around him.

He would have to rely on the helpfulness of outsiders. Well, truth be told, the entire galaxy relied on them. Without Thyferra's bacta.. Gyxik didn't want to think about it. No one would stand a change against the Killik swarm without it.

In the mind of a nearby Vratix, a security guard Gyxik had trusted for years, echoed only a single, silent word.

Soon.

 

[Darth Draugr]

Hearing of the events on Ruusan, Draugr knew there was a threat greater than any Jedi. Greater than any one man could ever be. The hive as he was told was taking over. The Zabrak had tried to begin a study on any information he could find over the Killiks as he had his men ready a ship to Thyferra. A signal was sent out for help across the galaxy and was received by Sith Intelligence. The Son of Dathomir knew he had to get over his rivalry with the rest of the galaxy and become it's defender.

"We set off now. Lieutenant you give me all information we have on this species on the way. I want them to perish."

"Yes Master Draugr."

-----

Arriving to the planet and landing close to the capital, Draugr would exit the ship and begin walking towards the building giving the signal off. His crew around him was on guard and weapons drawn. Draugr himself was trying to feel through the force to find any signs of life in danger. Weird he was looking to become a savior of sorts, but it was for good reason. The bacta was essential to the galaxy. If he could successfully defend it from the killiks, then he would prove his worth to the Empire.

"Stay alert gentlemen.. these beasts are dangerous, and I don't feel like losing good men to bugs."

The crew around him were confident in their ability to fight, but the idea of death by bug was not a thought they were fond of.

"And keep an eye out for citizens or others looking to help. We might have to set aside our differences for the greater good."

"Aye sir!"

Sending out a beacon to any potential defenders, he was looking to join up and work together. Strength in numbers.

​

 

[X3R]

@Scoobert

X3R hated the restraining bolt.

It was - and indeed, had been for a number of generations - a matter of academic debate as to whether or not mechanical life-forms could express emotions in the same way that organic sentients did. The underlying mechanisms by which droids simulated appropriate responses were ancient things, manufactured as much by wrote as any actual knowledge about their functions; droids could be programmed, and could broadly be counted on to act according to that program, but exactly why such was the case was more poorly understood in the present day than many cyberneticists were comfortable admitting. The systems of motion, communication and other ancillary functions were still well understood, but in its fundamentals, the mind of a droid was as much beyond most sentient understanding as that of an organic.

Could a droid really feel love? Envy? Want? Contentment? No-one was really sure, not even the droids themselves when it came down to it. X3R knew only that he was experiencing a state that his programming told him to treat as intense dislike, and it was directed at the tiny, chrome-plated knob of metal and electronics that had been fusion-fitted to the back of his cranial turret. He hated the thing, but was unable to do anything about it, at least not directly.

After the battle on New Alderaan, the droid was unaware what had happened to him for a time. Presumably, some Sith soldier or other worthy had discovered his inert chassis lying on the battlefield where it had fallen, and called attention to it. He had been rebooted in some sort of repair depot, a group of technicians gawking at the archaic components that lurked beneath his armored breastplate; he believed one of them had attempted a memory wipe on him, but they had been unfamiliar with his frighteningly obsolete connectors and strange, thermionic logic stacks. They had settled for fitting him with the most powerful restraining bolt they could find.

X3R had served the Sith army for some time now, unwillingly. The restraining bolt required him to obey, and was just about capable of enforcing its directives. The massive war droid could still think for himself, could still move and act for himself, but any act that was in direct opposition to his new masters - or to any orders they gave him - caused discomfort to his circuits.

The orders to accompany this Master Draugr and his organic troops to Thyferra had come down as all his orders did, and he had complied. He had never met this particular Sith Lord, and knew not what sort of commander he would be in the field. Thus far, the ancient war-robot had not been impressed with the Sith officers he had been required to serve under, although he had survived them all; his armor and overbuilt servos could stand a great deal in the way of incompetent leadership.

"A fascinating world." The droid remarked, plodding along not far from Draugr. His cranial turret swiveled, scanning the surrounding flora and terrain, photoreceptors alert for unusual patterns and movement. "An ecology like nowhere else... I am given to understand this is one of only a few places in the Galaxy where Bacta can be successfully cultivated."

The droid looked ahead at their destination, considering its defensibility. Briefly, he checked his weapons; an AAP-series blaster box strapped to his chest, a pair of Blackhand heavy blaster pistols in hip holsters, and a long bandolier of power packs. He also ran a brief diagnostic of the heatbeams mounted in the palms of his chassis' manipulators.

"It seems foolish, making such extensive use of a compound with such severe potential production bottlenecks."

 

[Arla]

Arla had been told once by her mother that she'd come here on some sort of covert job when she was younger. Her mother had failed to expand on any other details than that, but it seemed a little fitting that the young Nightsister was now here for the Sith as well.

She wondered silently if she'd been deployed here because they were effectively giant bugs, and if there was one thing Arla knew, it was how to fight wildlife. Buuut, the problem with that line of thought as she saw it was that these things were far more sentient. It was probably more likely that command had seen fit to redirect her because she was nearby. No, no, she liked the idea that she was specifically picked better. Even if she knew it was probably a lie.

Either way, she was here now. She'd hitched a ride with Master Draugr's troops and just kind of tried to look small. It was very likely that as a native of Dathomir he knew who she was, and she didn't really want that information getting out, and she didn't really want to draw attention. Well, he was definitely busy with other things, anyway. Definitely too busy prepping to fight bugs to notice her. For sure, yup.

She wore her grey and blue robes, but the fact that she left behind her backpack meant she looked slightly less like a hitchiker than normal... even though that was effectively what she'd done to get here. That wasn't important. In addition to her regular gear, she also carried her energy bow in her hand Yeah, this would be fine.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she was almost more nervous for this than for most jobs. And yet, there was a small part of her that felt excited. That felt like this would be one of those moments she'd never forget. She pushed out the voice in her head that said maybe she'd never forget it because she wouldn't live that long. Nope, that wasn't the reason she'd never forget.

Honestly, as she descended the ramp of the ship she expected... more chaos and death. Things were almost calm for the moment, but she was certain that wouldn't last. She hung toward the back of the group, her senses peeled for anything unusual. Years hunting as a Nightsister plus her apparent part-Sephi heritage gave her an edge for detecting if anything was sneaking up on them. At least she hoped so.

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

The road to recovery that led to leaving Yavin 8 had been an absolute nightmare. But she was able to get through the worst of it, in part because Ruzaan ended up paying her a visit and in part because she decided to make her self-exile in the Jedi Order indefinite rather than just a temporary one. She would be Clove, with her own objectives and desires to help the galaxy in ways she genuinely believed was important, with no oath or the hope of returning any time soon. And Altair was the obvious choice for her next step. After not speaking with him for ages, it was time to try and fix her mistakes. But before she could board her ship, her new commlink, which her parents had kindly bought for her, pinged with alerts.

The Galaxy was facing a far greater threat than the conflict between the Jedi and the Sith. According to the footage and warning messages, a large group of very strange-looking insect species was making their way to Thyferra, threatening Bacta. Kriff. Bacta? The one thing she needed, the one thing the galaxy needed? She bit her lower lip as she considered getting up from the edge of her bed. And then she saw a video of a Tiefling with four horns fighting the same strange-looking creatures.

It took Clove, who was now armored, less than ten minutes to board her ship and start the engine. Altair wasn't on Thyferra, sure, she knew that. But how could those filthy bugs touch him with their strange, dirty paws? No. She'd protect Thyferra and try to stop those strange bugs, making sure they'd regret hurting Altair and anyone else.

Another message hit her commlink—a lot of messages surely found their way to her newly purchased commlink—somewhere along her rather rocky flight to Thyferra, requesting a lift to... Thyferra. Well, she was on her way regardless and some company wouldn't hurt; loneliness was her worst enemy. And so an old and battered Rasmus-Class Assault Ship approached the man and picked him up within no time. And once the man was properly strapped in and they'd exchanged names, Clove stepped on the gas, causing the ship to groan in dismay at her ever-so-poor flying abilities before shakily shooting forwards to Thyferra.

Clove was awkward and quiet throughout the conversation, and her appearance reflected that. Her typical mane of sandy blonde curls was unkempt and barely held together, her face and eyes had sunken and her pink and black armor no longer snugly fit her body; it now hung somewhat loosely around her limps. But she was there, trying to start a conversation when the silence became too painful.

"Soo..." Her big brown eyes lifted up to the man as her high-pitched voice rippled through the ship's trembling hull. "Where are you from? I'm from Ralltiir, but I spent a long time on Yavin." She hadn't missed his robes; while they were harmless enough for the average civilian, she'd been seeing wandering Jedi Robes day in and day out for the last two years. Just her luck, she managed to bring a Jedi aboard as soon as she left the Order. Oh well, she wasn't going to Thyferra for the Sith or the Jedi, so it didn't really matter.

"How do you feel about us sticking together once we arrive? Actually, I'm not sure what you're good at and if you want to fight at all." She laughed softly before returning her gaze to the windows. "Well, let's start with that. I'm a medic and healer, both through the Force and without. And I'm good at long-distance shooting. How about you, would that help you?"

As they talked, the ship moved closer and closer to Thyferra and with each new checkpoint, more and more ships started to show up on her radar, indicating that they weren't the only ones who wanted to assist. The planet finally came into view in a matter of minutes, and Clove swiveled in her chair to direct her full attention to the console panel. "Okay, time to prepare for landing. I'll take us to the outskirts of town, where the S.O.S came from, and then we can walk into the city on foot."

With the wheels screeching, the hull shaking much more violently than before, dirt and rocks flying everywhere and the engine groaning as if it were about to break apart, the landing was clearly anything but comfortable. It was no surprise that the ship looked so worn. But somehow they made it to the ground unscathed. "I think that was my best landing yet." Clove stood up from her chair, a slight but proud smile on her face. She checked that her bag was on her shoulder, that her weapons and plain durasteel hilt with an azure blue kyber crystal were ready, and that her foldable cane was tucked snugly away on her belt before reaching for the ramp. "Ready?"

---

​

tag @Logan @Apollyon ​

 

[Alia]

Alia wasn't sure if she was supposed to be there, but now that she was she had no choice but to try her best to stay alive. To say that she was nervous would have been an understatement. And unfortunately for her companions, when she got nervous she got weird.

On this instance that weirdness was manifesting in the form of music. She had switched on the voice scrambling function of her armor, making her voice sound deeper and more rumbly than it actually was. "Strumming my pain with his fingers," her voice rumbled out of her corner of the transport, likely too soft for anyone but Arla to hear, "singing my life with his words."

As she sang she fidgeted with her lightsaber, spinning it in her hands with ease that belittled the nervousness that bubbled inside. The singing, keeping her hands occupied, it was all a way to keep her mind off the shit storm they were likely about to fly into. She had seen footage of Ruusaan, knew what these bugs were capable of, or how horrifying this "joining" thing seemed to be.

So as the ship landed, and everyone started descending, she let out a deep breath, and had to push herself to her feet with far more effort than the simple task warranted. She stepped out of the ship, still singing. "Killik me softly with his song, killik me softly with hi..." A trooper, standing besides her as Draugr was giving his order, visibly jumped, and glared at her, making her stop. "Sorry," she replied at once, voice still a deep rumble. She deactivated the scrambler, and gave the trooper a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

He grunted and started moving, and Alia was left to follow, fingers idly scratching at the lightsaber she still held in her hand.

@Logan @Phoenix @Scoobert

 

[Zakrym La]

Zak sat the spaceport on wartorn planet of Phindar, he had originally come here with one of his traveling companions of help out with a refugee crisis of some kind on the world. He believed that the Force had guided him there to aid in helping these families settling into their new homes and ensuring that the injured received the care that they needed, that wouldn't be the case. The first time Zak noticed his datapad vibrating in his pocket had been when he first started helping to unload a freighter filled with medical supplies for the refugees. At first he ignored the alerts, figuring it was simply Rell or another acquaintance shooting him a quick text about making plans for the evening. However, his disregard for the vibrating alert quickly changed to outright curiosity as the vibration became more and more frequent. Eventually, that curiosity would get the better of Zak and what he saw would send a chill down his montrals and through his lekku.

Zak scrolled through his newsfeed in absolute horror, strange creatures called Killiks were attacking Corellia and had lured countless dignitaries and important galactic figureheads to Ruusan where they unleashed a trap meant to cripple most governments, organizations, and the galaxy itself. Zak blinked in complete bewilderment that he hadn't felt a shift in the Force, that he hadn't received any notifications through Jedi or Resistance channels. He had just closed a live report from Fleur Wescott on Corellia when a emergency message displayed itself across his screen.

THYFERRA IN GRAVE DANGER!
CADIR XUXIL HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED BY KILLIK FORCES.
LOCATION UNKNOWN. BACTA SUPPLY IN GRAVE DANGER.
REQUEST AID ASAP.​

"Thyferra huh?" Zak thought to himself.

It didn't take long for Zak to open up his Shiphikers app on his datapad and request a ride to the planet of Thyferra. It did not take long for a confirmation ping to notify him of a fellow shiphiker that was willing to let him tag along in their ship, someone named Clove. With that done, Zak returned to unloading the medical supplies from the freighter while he waited for his ride to dock at the spaceport. Once it had, Zak pulled out his phone to shoot Rell a quick text, letting her know what he was up to, just to be safe.

Got an SOS from Thyferra. Bugs. - 11:20
Probably won't be able to make plans for later. - 11:22
About to hop on a shiphiker. - 11:24
-Zakrym La has started sharing his location-
In case they try to murder me. Ttyl - 11:25​

With his message sent, Zak quickly walked aboard the Rasmus-class ship and made his way to cockpit. Upon entry clear his throat to announce his presence, hoping to not surprise his driver.

"Hi." He said in a happy tone. "I'm Zakrym but most people just call me Zak..." He stated. "...it's uh, easier to remember." He continued with a half chuckle.

Silence fell between the pair for a stretch of time. During which Zak had started scrolling through the newsfeed on his datapad once more, trying to learn as much as he could about this new, potentially galactic scale threat. It would be Clove who broke the silence by sharing some information about herself and where she was from. Zak had been so engrossed in reading that it took a second for him to realize that his newfound acquaintance was even speaking to him.

"Oh." He replied as he realized that he was being addressed. "Uh, I am sorry. I got lost in the news there for a bit." He explained. "I am from Shili." He replied his voice taking on the same cheery tone it had before. "But it's been a minute since I made it back that way. I tend to travel a lot." He explained.

And then it dawned on him, she said Yavin. He had to know.

"I'm sorry but did you say Yavin?" Zak asked as he turned his entire torso in his seat to face her in genuine interest. "Are you?" He asked hesitantly before revealing one of his lightsaber hilts.

Clove continued rattling off several more questions, Zak couldn't really tell if she was scared, nervous, excited, angry, or a mixture of all of the above. But the rate of questions and explanations were beginning to feel a tad bit overwhelming to him. Zak gave Clove his best attempt at a calming smile before he spoke.

"Hey, woah there." He stated as he extended one of his arms to reach out and touch her forearm gently in his best effort to offer some reassurance. "I am perfectly cool with sticking together. If there are bugs on Thyferra, I'd rather not go it alone." He explained with a nervous chuckle.

When Clove began to list her combat expertise, Zak's smile faded slightly. Truthfully, he was hoping that this mission wouldn't require blood to be spilled, he was hoping to help rescue as many people as he could and get them safely off world. That hope, even though part of him knew it was an empty one, was shattered at the mention of long distance shooting.

Zak let out a sigh.

"I am a trained Jedi Knight." He replied in a monotone voice. "I specialize in Jar'Kai and am capable of using the Force." He continued in that same tone. "Finally, I am an amateur slicer, I might be able to hack some doors or consoles."

After answering her question, Zak would allow silence to fill the cabin once more. Stress caused his lekku to tremble slightly, a tremble that developed into a full blown wriggle at the tips of them as Thyferra finally came into view once the ship dropped from hyperspace. Zak took a deep breath to try and calm himself and dispel the anxiety that was building in his chest as the ship grew closer to the planet. Clove once again broke the silence, giving him a report on where they would be landing. Zak's only response was a quiet nod of affirmation.

The descent was way too fast and the landing was way too hard. For a moment, Zak thought the ship would rip itself apart based on the sounds it made as Clove brought the ship to a complete halt. What surprised Zak the most was how proud she was of the landing, it caused the anxiety he was feeling to fade for a moment as he smiled at her reaction to the landing. The pair of them took a moment to do a last minute equipment check for before heading to the exit ramp to her ship.

She asked if he was ready.

"As ready as I can be." He replied after sucking in air sharply through his teeth.

When she reached to open the hatch, Zak would shoot his hand out to stop her from opening the hatch for just a moment.

"Wait!" He exclaimed.

"May the Force be with you Clove."

Then he would be ready to venture forward, into the unknown, to do just as the Force willed, whatever that would be.

@LilyNion @Logan ​

 

[Thayd Karkoza]

Thayd was in his laboratory when Gyxik’s broadcast plea for help crackled out through the speakers in the cockpit of his ship. The Anzat Jedi, a tall and striking figure when standing at his full height, was hunched over the operating table hard at work under the bright, even examination lights. When the SOS spiked through the tense silence it caused a minor pandemonium for Thayd and his work. There was a sudden clattering of the fine metal instruments in his hands as he jolted from the surprise, and then a scramble of commotion on the table as the subject of his work burst into a desperate furor of struggle and thrashing. Releasing his instruments Thayd’s hands flung out into the air over the table and the action came to an abrupt and muted halt as if what fell from his fingers was some web of invisible power and restraint.

With a sigh he picked his equipment up off the floor and put it away. Then he set about securing his cargo properly, fastening all the straps, making sure nothing could come loose, before finally going to the cockpit to replay the message about this “grave danger”. He listened to the message in full, scratched his chin as if weighing the pros and cons. Then he thought about how in his cargo hold there were the sad storage tanks in the corner, each slapped up with a crooked, peeling “BACTA” label and sloshed down to their last liters of goo... A minute later, his ship was bound for Thyferra.

Before long, the freighter touched down in the capital, not too far from some of the other ships that had come heeding this same message. The exit ramp fell to the ground, upon it tangled mass of vines and leaves and crap splayed all out everywhere like the green tongue of a saucer-skulled beast. Thayd came down this strange carpet and emerged into the light of day. He wore robes like a Jedi, but they looked old, frayed, like he’d robbed them from a drunk. On his head was a straw hat — conical — conjuring a charming rural idiocy that was only really contradicted by the lightsaber at his belt. After a few moments his eyes came to watch the other ships as their passengers or crew began to disembark.

@Logan

 

[Charlotte Le'Anna]

Charlotte loved an opportunity. The do-gooders of the galaxy never saw the real value in a crisis. They always rushed in to throw their lives away without considering the wonderful benefits. Chaos bred opportunity and opportunity just begged to be seized. Charlotte was nothing if not an opportunist. She would find the perfect moment to seize her chance. Luckily, it came from a world of incredible value. Hapan intelligence had quickly brought word of the disaster on Ruusan. A hilarious turn of galactic events…a peace summit turned into a bug slaughter. The Queen Mother was unconcerned. As if the Joined insects could possibly present a threat to her people. They were little more than mongrels...barbarians. What they presented was a powerful chance for her to further expand her kingdom.

The call came from Gyxik and she sprung into action. The Hapes Consortium Royal fleet sprang into action. Within moments, they sped towards Thyferra. A full compliant of Nova-class Battle Cruisers and Battle Dragons stocked with Miy’til fighters and bombers ready for war.

The Queen Mother stood on the deck of her Battle Dragon, the Ascension, with her eyes locked on the spinning lights of hyperspace. She was dressed in her Royal Navy uniform with her lightsaber hidden in her sleeve. A very serious look was plastered to her face. The deck was a hum of activity. Her Chume’doro standing silently around her. Charlotte resisted the urge to sink into the Force. She so desperately wished to feel the energy of the Darkness. but a voice from behind interrupted her thoughts. That saved her from herself.

“We approach your majesty.” Charlotte gave a curt nod. “Put us on high alert.” The lights of hyperspace dimmed as her fleet appeared before Thyferra. Lights flashed and combat bells alarmed as the fleet exited hyperspace. She would not be caught unawares. “Open a channel to Canir Gyxik.” A crackle overhead announced the connection was established. She made her voice most regal. “Canir, the people of the Hapan Consortium have come to offer aid. Where do you need us?” There appeared to be no signs of fighting above or below. The war that had enveloped Ruusan did not yet consume Thyferra. A tickle in the back of her mind told her it would. “Stand ready.” Tension grew in the air.

@Logan

 

[Hauron Solus]

Hauron was worried about what his choices might lead to. But the young Mandalorian pushed those worries aside and replaced it with confidence that he was making the right decision to travel to Thyferra and fight the bugs that resided there. Not only were these Killiks capable of taking over the minds of others, making them 'join' their ranks, there was also the matter of the Galaxy's primary supply of bacta. Hauron did not know much about these bugs but he felt like he couldn’t do nothing. Once the call for help was heard, he made haste to deploy towards the planet.

The young Mikkian took an inconspicuous T-6 shuttle to the planet's capital and arrived at the edge of the city, clad in his black painted armor though its normal coating of scatterweave was gone. Instead the Solus had modified his helmet to have a recording device built in. Hauron wanted others to know what was going on and to witness their achievements, provided they survived this endeavor. A few spare datasticks were prepared should this take longer than desired.

In terms of weaponry, the Solus was armed with his usual blasters and gear with the addition of doubling his normal loadout of ammunition and ordnance. The numbers he was going up against meant he would probably need it. Slung across his back on one side of his jetpack he had an electroripper . But he hoped he would not have to use it and instead keep his enemies at bay with ranged attacks. The pole arm style weapon would keep him out of arms reach of any snapping mandibles or whatever the Killik’s had for appendages. Furthermore, in his arms he hefted a BM-3KF flame projector, recently purchased and with two spare canisters. All in all it might seem like overkill, but for Hauron that seemed appropriate given the threat they were dealing with. A consistent regime of exercise and training had bulked up the formerly meek Mikkian who now filled out his beskar’gam confidently.

Making sure the recording on his helmet was activated, Hauron began speaking to explain what he was seeing. It was his first time acting as a cameraman but he had mixed feelings about being a narrator. "Well galaxy, this is Thyferra. I'm Hauron Solus by the way...uh...reaaally hoping I'm not the first to die in some tragic holo-flick. They always kill the blue guy first." He swallowed the nervous saliva building up in his mouth as he recalled the swarm he had seen before arriving on the holo-broadcast.

The rumble of ship drives neared and the warrior looked over his shoulder to see a Rasmus transport nearly crash into his own ship. It plowed through the ground and kicked up dirt before stopping short only a few meters. “Good lord…” He only stared in surprise, briefly wondering if he was going to be stranded on this planet. If that were the case he definitely had not come prepared. Looking around more, he saw that he and the other ship were not alone. Others had answered Canir Gyxik's plea for assistance so at least he wasn't entirely alone.

@Logan @LilyNion @Apollyon

 

[Roman Antilles]

.

Armored thumb flicked to the new playlist off his Spotify account, launching one of his favorite tracks as the transport shuttle he was in descended slowly into orbit and made its soft landing.

THEME​

Roman had taken quite a bit of time away from the Empire and duties of the Sith Order since his gruesome injury in the catacombs of Vjun. There he had attempted to retrieve an ancient artifact but during a duel with a force spectre he was critically injured and failed in his conquest, a lingering defeat which still bites at his ego to this date. He had also bummed a ride on Master Daugr's shuttle, remaining seated until the ramp descended and the other Sith Warriors dis-embarked onto the hostile world. Dressed in his usual armor piece, the hulking Champion was an intimidating sight especially with that durasteel helmet that struck fear into hearts of rivals and opposition.

Several days in Bacta tanks and Imperial healing facilities had recovered the Sith back into pristine shape and he was itching for some bloodshed. A relentless warrior, Roman was never too far away from combat and so when the Empire had decided to lend its hand to help the better cause of the galaxy, he was there to support. Expecting chaos and war the second the ramp opened, Roman lofted a brow in surprise at the rather calm moment that greeted them. His armored frame carried only the twin lightsabers as well as two thermal detonators on his waistband, arms resting at his sides as he ambulated towards the others.

Roman approached to the right side of Daugr @Scoobert , standing about 5 meters away from the Zabrak and folded his arms across his chest. Eyes scanned across the pathway, shifting momentarily to the blinking beacon that signaled all defenders to arrive into the epicenter. One by one they slowly collected, Jedi as well as Mandalorians. One such individual bore the insignia of the rebel faction, Roman was aware of it as he kept an eye on local events, even recalling a certain attempt at Rhydonium refineries. Attention focused on the electroripper staff the Mikkian was sporting, Roman moving over to him slightly as he examined the weapon from a short distance. Simultaneously, several other Imperial troopers descended from the ramp as well, including a specialized engineer team tasked with rapid, mobile deployment of the Heavy Repeater and its generator. Considering they had little intel on the numbers of their foe, Roman felt it was best to be prepared for the worse.

The Champion nodded towards the Mandalorian, voice coming out in its usual scrambled and robotic fashion. "Nice..." He said, acknowledging the provision to bring the staff with them on this journey. @Darasuum A smart move and one Roman kept in his mind, perhaps, he may need to borrow it during their fight.

@Logan

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Ruzaan arrived, taking in the scene as he did a flyby in a Jedi starfighter. He was still processing the events of the past few days- the events on Ruusan was hardly the weirdest thing that had happened; someone had mistakenly called him a Jedi Knight. The Togruta was more or less coming around to the idea of becoming a Knight when the distress call came out from Thyferra. And so the Padaknight found himself coming to a gentle landing not far away from a familiar-looking Rasmus-Class assault ship, which sported a few more scrapes and dents than the last time he'd seen it.

"Clove!" Ruzaan called as he hopped out of the snubfighter, grateful to see a friendly face. She was standing over by another Togruta, too, and Ruzaan would go in for a brief hug if Clove seemed ok with it (@LilyNion). "Hi, I'm Ruzaan" he then addressed the other Togruta, in case the other Togruta, which he now recognized as a member of the Order, had forgotten his name (@Apollyon). The introduction would be brief, however; as much as he wanted to catch up with the half-Annfyn and the Togruta, there was a pressing matter to attend to. "We should probably check in with the Cadir" he said, beginning to walk across the landing pad towards where the doors were that led to the Cadir's office.

@Logan this time?

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

So Zak was a Jedi Knight, a trained one at that. Well. It meant she had a skilled partner, which was all she cared about at the moment. It also made her realize she hadn't responded to his question. "Oh, about... me. I was a Jedi Knight, a junior Jedi Knight. I now work independently and help where I can." She didn't try to explain why she left, as evidenced by the monotone tone of her voice, but at least she showed him her lightsaber, which was the last item she got from the order before she left. And the one thing she refused to give up after her departure.

Clove turned to face Zak, her lips curled into a more sincere—though still tiny—smile. "And with you, Zak. Let's go."

Though she wasn't exactly sure what she was expecting when she left her battered up ship, it wasn't the T-6 shuttle she had almost collided with or the sight of her friend coming toward her with open arms. Ruz! Clove's face lit up and she embraced him back without hesitation. "I'm so glad to see you!" The half-Annfyn chuckled softly before letting go and turning her gaze to the surroundings.

There were a lot of people, many of whom she assumed were dressed in Sith robes or armor. She knew she wasn't judging innocent people as Sith, either; she'd seen the red Zabrak at Altair's beach party. She couldn't forget those tattoos; she stared at him for minutes, amused, while that silly redhead woman screamed at the man. And, given that every one of them at the party had been Sith thus far, it was a safe bet that both he and his men were Sith as well. Clove looked down at her commlink after spotting the Sith, now noticing the beacon aimed directly at him; he was requesting help? She let out a sigh before raising her gaze at the Jedi next to her. "Well, let's go to the Sith and greet them I suppose. Seems like they need the help."

Even if the Jedi protested, Clove, as stubborn as ever, continued to march towards the Zabrak with 'big' steps; they simply couldn't defeat the bugs on their own. And whether they liked it or not, Sith were incredibly skilled fighters who had the abilities they needed to safeguard the Bacta. And it seemed like they all had the same common goal; stop the bug people. There would be no danger in working together as long as they didn't harm the civilians.

"Hey!" Clove called out as she approached the Sith. Her posture and expression made it obvious that she wasn't intending to hurt them even though her hand was on her hilt. "Are you looking to group up? I just noticed your beacon. If it's okay with you, we can help you." The half-large Annfyn's fluted ears twitched every now and then while they were talking, taking in the sounds of their surroundings. She couldn't help but notice the other men and women encircling the Zabrak, particularly the girl with beautiful red hair and two small horns and the man in pitch black body armor.

---

​

tag @Logan @Apollyon @Scoobert @Faded @Wit @SlagathorTheUnknown ​

 

[Darth Draugr]

As the Sith Master lead his team of Sith and Sith Soldiers tread forward, he kept an eye out for any other life around in the area. The Sith came to save the bacta, there was little care of the innocents around. This time they were not a matter of importance, so the Sith weren't going to target any of them. Their orders were to safely secure the bacta. Once their goal was complete, they would be able to move forward to the next goal. Eradicate the threat.

"X3R, what's the status on communications?"

The Sith Master didn't let the group stop moving forward. Pace couldn't be dropped, not for this mission. His eyes peering out before him hoping to find any sign of assistance, even if they were Jedi.

"Alia, Arla, Antilles, be prepared to work with our enemies for this mission. Today they are not the threat. The Killiks are our common enemy now."

Just a little while after letting his group know their orders, he would look back to check on the group before turning back. The buildings felt empty. There was not as much life thriving here as he felt before. Abandoned vehicles and a gloomy aura surrounded him. Usually he felt peace in the feeling, but now it was different. The thought of the Killiks having succeeded in taking the bacta away.. it was unsettling.

The Soldiers he was with were looking around the buildings, and checking any vehicle for a sign of life. Likely what had happened was a majority of the people in the area surrounding the bacta supply were joined to the hive. Something the Sith Master was not going to let happen to his comrades. Selfishness was running low for this mission. Any losses to the hive would bring the rest of the galaxy to higher disadvantages. Especially if the joiner was force sensitive.

"Another thing before we continue further..."

Draugr looked back to his group of Sith, his eyes rested on them with a stoic gaze. One which showed his worry in the mission. It had to be said just in case it wasn't clear. The hive was joined together, and when you join you don't come back. In the vent one of the Sith became joined, it would be too much of a powerful gain for the Killiks.

"If you are being lost to the hive... don't let yourself turn... You have a saber.. you know what to do."

He waited until all of his comrades would acknowledge him. He had belief in his group and knew they were capable of being strong and defeating these bugs.. but in the event that they couldn't, he wanted them to do the right thing for the galaxy.

"I won't let any of you become a part of the hive. I expect you do the same for me."

And then he took one last look at them before turning back to continue mission. It was time to see if the rest of the galaxy had heeded the call of Thyferra. Seemed it had when the sight of three individuals came forward. Two togruta, a short sephi had made their way towards the group of Sith. Draugr felt their energy. They were strong in the force, but they weren't Sith. His fist had lifted to bring the Sith to an halt. They weren't to act just yet. The Zabrak assumed they were Jedi.

"Good to see help arrived even if it were Jedi. Your help is accepted.. this time."

His hand would reach out for the Jedi to shake.. something he never thought would happen in his life.. but this threat seemed to be enough to bring him to do it.. if this doesn't show the importance of the situation.. I don't know what does.

@Wit @Phoenix @Faded @AutoFox @Darasuum @LilyNion @SlagathorTheUnknown @Valen Pelora @Evan @Apollyon @Logan

 

[Claudias Tannaras]

OOC:

Spoiler: Why a middle aged diplomat is here

The Straw that Broke the Cripple's Back

OOC: This happens right before Claud leaves for Thyferra There were expectations of men and women of his station, Claudias said, when asked where he was going. "Drop the flowery political talk for a second and answer me, Claud!" His brother had snapped at him on the landing pad. "We put on...

thestarwarsrp.com

When Claudias had left the palace in such violent haste, he hadn't considered the logistics of the trip until well after he'd entered hyperspace. He'd brought his blaster pistol, and he'd brought his datapad... and nothing else. He'd initially intended on bringing a portion of the palatial guard with him. As pathetic as the old automata were, the situation was desperate enough that even a bunch of rickety old guard droids would be useful. Instead, all that left the shuttle was a middle aged Brentaalan aristocrat, hobbling down on a cane with a blaster pistol strapped to his waist.

He hadn't yet grasped just how utterly unprepared and underleveled his was until he stepped out of his shuttle and began to walk around, and see the assembled defenders. There was a beskar clad warrior who could only be a mandalorian, and several young, robed individuals carrying odd metal rods at their sides. It took a few seconds for the man to recognize them as Jedi, and a fool he was to not recognize them sooner, for he had written three separate histories on the Jedi across various Republican eras in galactic history, and was (theoretically) more acquainted than most with things like the style of their dress and the sight of their weapons.

That the Sith were here was a surprise, one that would've left the Brentaalan disgusted under any other circumstance. However, he had always tried to temper his passions with pragmatism. Today, The Sith and their skill as force wielding warriors mattered more than holding them to account for their crimes-- not that he could. The Brentaalan was old, and had no force powers or particular skill at arms. Fighting the killiks was an impossible task on his own, and so was attempting to punish men and women who could snap his neck with a thought.

Still, there was no doubt that they would attempt to use this as an opportunity to seize control of Thyferra's bacta reserves-- if they survived. The bacta seemed the primary concern to most of the defends, and while it was definitely present in the older man's mind, he was far more concerned with the defense of Thyferra's people, as well as a more personal concern on this world. Still, he had to put all of these thoughts of differing interests aside for a time. Functionally, they all had common cause-- stopping the threat these aliens posed.

Taking a deep breathe, the Brentaalan would hobble over to a small gathering of defenders. They seemed of mixed loyalties-- there was no doubt who the red and black, Demonic looking Xeno (@Scoobert) pledged allegiance to, and just as easily he identified the tiny, knife eared girl in pink and black armor (@LilyNion) as Jedi... or at least, both of them looked the part that he'd assigned them.

"...greetings." He finally said, coming upon them in the middle of conversation. "Pardon my intrusion, b-but I... well, you all l-look to be the most f-f-familiar with these sorts of-f dangerous th-threats and the like." Claudias said, glancing around the small group of assorted force users. "My n-name is C-C-Claudias Tannaras... I am an amb-bassador, b-but I hope I might be of some use. F-fighting of any sort has never b-been a particular strength of m-m-mine, but I've h-heard the situation is desperate."

​

@Logan @Phoenix @Wit @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Arctus Friers]

He'd almost gotten into a fistfight just so he could board the next ship to Corellia, only for the dice to fall against his favor and he was tossed to a transport headed for Thyferra. Or so he would have liked to tell his fellow Jedi as Arctus arrived on the planet, a light frown on his face.

It felt... wrong, being here and not on Corellia. He should be making a mad dash for his homeworld, to where his family were, but at least he'd gotten one good news out of the chaos that happened over at Rusaan, and now currently happening here on Thyferra. Arctus had been worried sick when he saw the news, only for it to be eased by a call from his mother, asking him if he's anywhere on Corellia and telling him not to go there. To his relief, the rest of the Friers were currently enjoying a holiday in Chandrila.

"Don't think about the house nor the diner, dear. We're all safe. And you?"

Needless to say, the former smuggler had received a rough bashing from his younger brothers after admitting that he was on a transport due for Thyferra.

Clad in his blast vest and armed with his two blaster pistols, a blaster rifle, and a vibroblade on his hip (guess he'd just borrow more weapons from the local militia), Arctus descended from the ship. His gaze caught a pair of familiar colors through the turbulence of hues through the Force, his face splitting into a wide smile as he hurriedly approached the group.

Azure (@SlagathorTheUnknown) and lilac (@LilyNion). Wow. He missed these two so much!

The smile didn't vanish even at the sight of the gathered Sith-looking Forcies on one side, though it almost slipped when another fellow (@Tom) also approached the group – the man didn't look tp be the fighting type (alright, he did just prove it when he spoke), but Arctus didn't question why the man was here (at least not yet).

Standing by the Jedi group – he recognized Knights Thayd Karkoza and Zakrym La –, Arctus offered them all a quick, half-assed salute.

"'Sup."

He had just made himself the "first to die in a horror movie" with that one greeting and somehow, he wasn't even a tiny bit. embarrassed.

@Logan @restofyouawesomepeople

 

[Zakrym La]

Upon Clove’s response to an age old saying between Jedi, Zak would step out onto Thyferra alongside her. As they came down the ramp to her ship Zak would glance at her from the corner of his eye.

“You said you once were a Jedi but now you just help where you can.” He stated in reply to her early comment. “If that’s the case, it sounds to me like you never stopped being one.” He continued, giving her a small reassuring smirk before his side glance shifted away.

A small togruta had landed not far from them, they were a few inches shorter than Zak was and definitely younger. The young male called out to Clove by her name and then excitedly came in for a hug with her. It was only then that the younger Togruta introduced himself as Ruzaan. The younger Jedi’s youthful energy cause the slight smirk he had given to Clove to blossom into a full blown grin.

“Well hello there.” He replied after giving a short and playful chuckle. “I’m Zakrym La, but you can call me Zak.” He said playfully with a wink to match his spreading grin.

After the brief introductions the trio began to make their way towards another gathering party of individuals. These, unlike the gathered motley crew of Jedi wore shades of blacks and greys. Behind them stood fire teams of battle droids, they were efficient, they were Imperials. Or at least that was what Zak first believed, until they got closer and the unmistakable chill of the dark side washed over him. Thankfully, Zak was unlike other Jedi, his hand didn’t fall to the hilt of his lightsaber at the sight of Sith. While they were still technically enemies, Zak recognized them for what they were, living beings that were capable of redemption.

As such, as Clove called to them, Zak raised an arm and waved to try and further draw their attentions. As they came closer to the gathered group of Sith, Zak would offer them the same bright smile he gave Ruzaan. Even extending his hand towards a commanding Zabrak who had issued commands to his fellows in order to shake hands and introduce himself. @Draugr

“Hi there!” He said in a warm, friendly tone. “I’m Knight Zakrym La.” He continued, introducing himself. “I’m guessing you all got the same message we did? Do you have any additional information from your intelligence networks? Any word on civilians?” He asked, his voice losing some of its initial warmth and taking on a more professional tone.

As the brief exchange occurred, more individuals would approach the merging groups and introduce themselves. These included a self proclaimed nervous ambassador and another Jedi. The latter of which gave him a salute for some reason before issuing a “Sup?” Which caught Zak off guard and almost caused him to snort with laughter.

“Is it quiet to everyone?” Zak finally asked as the group finished gathering together.

@Logan @allthesefriendlyfaces

 

[Veer Altaris]

For one reason or another, Veer had found himself on Thyferra for the past few days - sticking to the capital city and largest urban centers for the duration of his brief leg on the planet. Nomadic by virtue of his profession, it wasn’t uncommon for the Bounty Hunter to flit from one world to another - even with his recent involvement with the Resistance.

Thus, it was only a matter of coincidence that the Axxilan had been on Thyferra during the events on Ruusan - and had picked up the general SoS sent by Gyxik.

Naturally, the Bounty Hunter’s first instinct was to get off the planet before shit completely hit the fan. He had little personal stake in whatever was going on, and the self-serving instincts he had developed screamed for the Axxilan to keep his head down until things largely blew over. And perhaps against his better judgement, he hesitated to execute on that initial plan. There was no denying the value of Bacta to everyone, and the Axxilan couldn’t help but ponder just how many would suffer - regardless of faction - if that most valuable resource was compromised. Billions would be lost in the aftermath, and it almost certainly spelled the demise of a Resistance barely in its infancy.

Cursing himself for it, Veer began to make his way towards the the SOS signal - falling into line with others who had started to gather. The Axxilan wasnt the least bit pleased to be working alongside Imps, but for the moment, the Axxilan knew there were bigger things to deal with. He was equip in his

‘Viper’ armor, complete with his standard loadout of gadgets and two pistols on his hip. He carried his longblaster in both hands, keeping the weapon crossed over his body diagonally. His brown eyes scanned those assembled, fixing onto Claudius for a long moment.

In roughly two seconds, Veer knew who was going to get killed first.

 

[Thayd Karkoza]

"EEeEyyokk! ... EEeEyyokkok!" This noise came from behind Thayd, from somewhere back up inside his ship. He turned around and motioned with his hand. "Oh, yes. Come along now." Moments later a large tropical bird emerged and stepped down the exit ramp just as Thayd had. It stood about two feet tall. Its body was black and sleek, but from the top of its head came an eruption of differently hued feathers that plumed out hypno sun king style. Its beak was bright yellow, enormous, like a clump of bananas. Around its neck it wore a little birdcam pendant. It was unclear if this little gadget was functional as a recording device or if it served merely as ornamental jewelry or had some higher aspect to it involving bird alchemy. The shiny lens glinted in the sunlight as the avian sashayed down the ramp and began to approach Hauron, hopping toward him and staring curiously at his helmet.

"He senses a kindred spirit in you."

Thayd had also come toward Hauron. Though he only saw the armor, it looked strikingly similar to that of a mandalorian he'd encountered on Onderon, before the invasion. Thayd noted to himself that the man's trigger-happy associate had not accompanied him here, just as Thayd was not accompanied by a corpse. They'd each come alone today. "KAWW!" Well, not quite alone.

"Tell us your name. My name is Thayd." Thayd then gestured toward the bird. "This one is new and still nameless. Although," his eyebrows raised as the horizon of possibilities dawned, "that could change tonight."

The nameless, camera-amuleted bird stared up at Hauron with black deadpan eyes. Eyes like plastic. Like a doll's eyes. The bird shook out its neck feathers in a rapid, glitchy motion.

"He honors you, lad, don't spurn him."

@Darasuum

 

[Hauron Solus]

One by one the ragtag group of Jedi, Sith and other parties gathered together. Nobody seemed to take too much notice of the Mandalorian among them except for one armored warrior clad who's helmeted head seemed to be centered on Hauron for awhile before saying what he took as a compliment. The Mandalorian looked to either side, double checking to see if the Sith Legionnare meant someone else. But it became clear he had meant Hauron. The young Mikkian did not say anything in response and shifted his gaze towards the other dark siders and their opposites still trying to gauge how things would play out.

Hauron was a cameraman, here to document just as much as he was to fight, so maybe that explained why nobody looked towards him with more than a cursory glance, except one. A small blessing since he felt like any attention drawn to him was probably a bad thing. There were tough looking Sith and numerous Jedi. Any of them were likely to outmatch him in combat. But he reminded himself that they were here to cooperatively fight the Killiks. He just hoped they all remembered that as well.

The Mandalorian's grip on his flame projector tightened slightly, reassuring himself he was not the same weak child he used to be. Hauron tried to read the room, or the area around him rather. One pink robed girl seemed to be practically bubbly in terms of attitude, making this almost out to be a social mixer. For the first time ever I wish I had a drink. He thought to himself, rather than be loaded down with weapons. He was not a drinker but the stress he was beginning to feel would likely only increase with time. After this I am totally going to party until my tendrils are numb.

Most of the conversation was observed from behind Hauron's helmet. He felt like a wall flower and did not know anybody at this party. No, that wasn't right. He saw one person he recognized. The armored warrior straightened up slightly as his helmet centered on @Thayd Karkoza who he had encountered prior to the battle of Onderon. The man had been iffy, a bit of a wild card and likely the kind of person who mixed bop-rocks with his emryc energy drink. Hauron wondered if the man recognized him in return but he wouldn't say anything towards him yet.

Some of what the tattooed Zabrak gave Hauron some measure of comfort. They were here to work together. But the bit about killing one another rather than allow them to 'join' solidified the seriousness of their situation. As the group came closer together, the Solus took a few steps to get a decent angle of each off their faces or at least their helmets and forms as he came to one side. Surprisingly, he stood a little closer to the Sith than the Jedi. The raggedy looking Jedi he had met on Onderon still weirded him out.

As if to call out Hauron's unease towards the bum jedi of mystery, a loud avian call made the Mikkian turn to capture a strange bird exit the man's ship. "Uuuh..." All Hauron could manage to utter as he suddenly felt very awkward. Thayd explained the attention drawn towards him which only caused him to recoil his head slightly in a slightly perplexed manner before introductions were made between them. It was a better start than the events on Onderon.

"I'm...Hauron Solus." He answered begrudgingly. The man looked like the type would would know a curse that could follow the Mandalorian for the rest of his life if he stared at his pet bird wrong. Kindred spirit? Did he just call me a bird brain? Hauron looked around to see if anyone else was taking notice of the odd looking bird, who seemed to be cybernetic or to some degree artificial. "Yeah...hi birdy. Well I'm...honored...I guess. Are they...friendly?" He looked back towards the worn robes and trappings of the man from Onderon, trying to gather what he could from a look. Normally Hauron liked animals but this one felt just as strange as its owner, or wrangler, or inventor maybe.

@Faded @Evan @moreawesomepeople