Battle of Coruscant: 500 Republica

[Prudence]

Death Disabled | Open to All
theme

Fear permeated the air like a tangible curtain hanging across the opulent building. 500 Republica, a tower that stands out among a planet of towers, is home to the richest and most powerful citizens of Coruscant. The building usually stood out in the Coruscant skyline, a symbol of pride and elegance, but today smoke rose from its towering heights, and fear coursed through its veins. Residents were hunkered down within their penthouses, trying to hide from and avoid the coming war. These beings, used to hiding behind their wealth and political power, were now terrified to the core - a sitting target for the oncoming attack. Rising to the challenge, within the tower gathered a line of defense, a group of Grand Army soldiers, Jedi, and others who had heard Coruscant's desperate plea and come to her aid. On the floors of a building more accustomed to hosting galas and parties, today there would be countless bodies and pools of blood.

As these defenders created their defensive line, malevolent black specks grew into the grim image of drop ships, troop transports, and fighters pouring towards the tower. Within the ships were legions of Sith, and Sacred Band - all with a grudge towards the Republic. Narrowly breaching the Republic fleet, these troopers were the best that the brotherhood had to throw at Coruscant. Each individual aboard knew the dangers, they knew the price, and they were willing to pay it. Each had their own cause to fight for, and each was willing to lay down their lives for it. The Sith & SBZ had suffered at the hands of the Jedi too long, suffering genocide like the galaxy had never seen, and the Republic had enabled them. Already transports were landing in front of, and atop the building, as well as breaching the sides of the building to attack from within. And with screaming of alarms, and the cries of the wounded, the fierce battle for 500 Republica, and Coruscant, began.



​

 

[DeltaWolf]

Drex had recieved Coruscant's plea for help not too long ago and as soon as he did he wasted no time making his way over before it was too late. When he arrived on the planet, he asked where help would be needed and was directed to 500 Republica, one of the tallest towers on Coruscant. He made his way over, seeing smoke coming from it. Before, it would've made a beautiful sight...but today it was a sign of terror. Terror that the Sith were bringing. But the Jedi and Republic would make sure everyone was safe. They had to.

He arrived at the tower before the enemy, being let in by a soldier and the door was immediately locked behind him. "Master Jedi, just in time. Enemy troops are on their way now and will be here any minute." Drex simply nodded and continued past the man, looking around at the other soldiers. He turned back to look the one who greeted him and asked, "What's your plan?"

"Our plan? Our plan is to hold them off and force a retreat...or die trying."

Drex shook his head and looked at the other soldiers, now addressing them. "Do not fight for glory. Do not fight to win. Your top priority should be making sure these people are safe. If we can evacuate these citizens safely, then that's what we will do. If that means pushing them back, that's what we'll do. But do not sacrifice their lives for victory." Even though he didn't really have authority over them, the serious tone in his voice made it seem that way. The soldiers all nodded and mumbled in agreement and Drex turned around, looking outside as the transport ships landed in front of the building where they were stationed with others going up onto the top. He turned back around and looked at the soldiers as the enemy approached and simply said, "May the force be with us."

 

[Minuteman75]

Unlike many beings who were raised on planets and worlds, Shiro Yama couldn't claim such special kinship, having been raised a space freighter, constantly on the move. Corescunt, however was the one place that came the closetest to feeling like a home-planet to him...for a time. In the end the world-size city was a bitter reminder of what he once had and then lost. Now as a lieutenant in the GAR, clad in armor he briefly stared out from a window, watching chaos and destruction rule over all.

All he could think about was how ill prepared they were for this event. In many ways Shiro admired the Sith's ruthless military drive but despised them persona;; for what they stand for and their crimes. The officer wouldn't call the Republic/Jedi's attempts in containing and removing the Sith threat over the generations as genocide, to do so would be an hideous insult to the real victims who suffered because of their twisted power trip. As for their Mandalorian allies, they can go to hell with them for all he cared.

Those were his thoughts, as he rush toward to the main defense position in this building. The spaceborn rechecked his gun, just in time to catch a Jedi knight make a speech to the troops. Beneath his helmet, Shiro Yama grimaced, taking cover from the left counter of a wall.

A peacekeeper, on the battlefield at least he means well. Though I prefer to fight to win, it's just our definitions for victory seem to differ from one another.

Then the invaders came within reach, charging forward

"Let em have it!"

Lt. Yama ordered, immediately firing his shotgun at the closetest hostile in his sight, joined by a chorus of Republic blaster bolts.

 

[JediBatman]

Rychen was in a state of near-panic. He knew the invasion was coming, he was a part of it, and yet he had no intentions of fully helping the Sith cause until he knew one thing: That his mother was safe. It had been years and yet the young Sith still remembered exactly where her luxurious apartment was. He remembered it's smell, it's warmness, and now it was more than likely on fire.

I have to save her... I must save her!

He was currently crouched behind the remains of a small shop located adjacent to the entrance to the tower. Republic troops were launching walls of blaster bolts out into the streets and the advancing Sith.

Blast this I don't have time!

He turned to two Mandalorians next to him and roared, his inner anger beginning to take over his frustration and worry.

"With me! Push forward!"

Rychen vaulted over the crumbled wall in front of him and activated his purple lightsaber blade. It hissed as it extended and was immediately put into action deflecting blaster bolts from the Republic soldiers. The mandalorians stood on either side of him picking off exposed troopers, but it was taking too long for Ry's patience. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a flaming speeder and a plan formed in his mind. Switching his grip on his weapon to one hand, he used his freehand to reach out to the force and lift the speeder. After taking a moment to gather the force around it, Rychen launched the speeder into the side of the Republica where it blew up and also blew a sizable hole into the wall.

"Keep pushing on the main entrance! I'm going in this way!"

His words to the two mandalorians were pointless however as they had been gunned down when Rychen had thrown the speeder. With no time to even feel a little grief, Rychen sprinted towards the entrance he had made, deflecting blaster bolts as he strided to the side of the Republic defense. A stray bolt managed to hit the armored pauldron on his right shoulder, making it go numb.

 

[Minuteman75]

Frak these Sith.

Shiro Yama thought, reloading his shotgun with a new clip. The left wall of the main entrance he was taking cover at was being clipped repeatedly by blasterfire and exploding fragments. Next on the right to him dead and dying troopers laid out on the floor. Men and women were moaning in pain, many calling out for loved ones and deities in their last breath. He just received word through the comms that there a newly made hole on the side of the Republica from a crashed speeder. If it's Sith's doing the lieutenant hoped any available Jedi and troopers can handle it, for he was tied up fighting the main enemy host.

They're giving the invaders hell but soon this position will be overrun and Shiro didn't intend to give their hated enemy the satisfaction. No instead the bastards were going to have choke on blood it if they wanted to claim this building in the end. Knowing that he made a call.

"Sergeant Daryun is the next defense line ready?"

"Copy that sir. We're awaiting ya at the next level."

"Acknowledged, will be there, over and out."

Once done he issued a command to the troops at the main entrance with him via comms.

"All frontline units fall back to the second position. I repeat fall back, fall back.."

Once done he looked over and saw the Sith-led forces rushing forward again. He pulled out a flash bang grenade and tossed it outside. A bright flash ignited a moment later, slowing the enemy advance long enough for the defenders to give covering fire, as they retreated away from the entrance. Shiro and them ran up the high steps, until they were a line of overturned tables and furniture turned into a barricade manned by Sgt. Daryun's squad. Soon they were joined by their retreating comrades, Shiro included who can still fight.

With seconds to spare the enemy host poured through the entrance and advanced up the steps, thinking they have broken through, but only to be met by a murderous volley from Daryun's heavy repeating blaster, situatied in the barricade's center that cut most of those in front down. It was joined a chorus of sniper shots and assault rifles, raining down death and sorrow from their high position.

Even so the defenders suffered losses too from the enemy's furious respond, returning fire. For now the defenders had the high ground to their advantage, for however long it will be. Shiro switched to his pistol, wounding an femaleTransodsen in the left leg and watched her scream in agony and then roll down the steps by accident.

I need to practice more with this pistol if I live through this.

 

[Mitchos]

On the top floor Republica 500 building Calren fought along side a ragged group of defenders his yellow lightsabers deflecting blaster rounds a striking down foes who got to close a mix of soldiers and civilian militia. They desperately struggled to hold a makeshift choke point preventing the seemingly endless horde of Sith and their soldiers arriving by drop ship on the roof from storming the rest of the building.

The blaster fire was beginning to subside as Calren dueled a Sith; Seeing that the majority of his troops where dead the Sith panicked his strikes becoming wild and easily readable. Calren parried a thrust with the Lightsaber in his left hand and countered with his right stabbing the now exposed Sith in the chest. A few seconds after the Sith fell so to did the last of his men.

With the battle over for now men and women scrabbled, scavenging weapons and ammo from the fallen and dragging the wounded to safety, Calren made his way over to the solider in charge of the Comms unit who was clutching her shoulder where a round had pass through. "Any word on when we can expect our own ships in the sky?"

"None yet Sir" the young woman replied her wincing in pain as a medic began to treat the wound. Already the sounds of Sith reinforcements could e heard above them.

"Get down !" someone screamed barely a second before entire floor was lit up by a Brotherhood Drop ship firing as it moved along the outside the building gunning down anyone who did find cover in time. From his hiding spot Calren saw a flash as the drop ship exploded and plummeted to the ground below, a young militiaman holding a spent rocket launcher being the the cause. The cheers of the fighters all around where cut short as more enemy soldiers rushed the room from the rooftop funneling down the stairways and replying from the sides.

We cant hold for much longer Calren thought to himself as he threw himself into the nearest group of enemy soldiers.

 

[DeltaWolf]

Drex hadn't seen a fight quite like this one. He stayed behind a wall, watching blaster bolts whiz by, striking soldiers down. He ignited his lightsaber, a blue beam shooting out. An enemy soldier was running towards the entrance and he popped around the corner for a moment, using the force to pull the soldier closer and right onto his lightsaber. He pushed the man off and immediately got behind cover again, a blaster bolt sailing by his head. He realized he wouldn't be able to be out in the open for too long, but he needed to fight.

Suddenly, he heard a loud explosion and when he looked to the source, Drex saw a large hole in the wall. Before the soldiers got in however, he saw something get thrown outside and he turned as the flashbang went off. When the order was given to fall back, Drex nodded, deflecting blaster bolts that came hurling at them to cover their retreat. Once he found an opening, he turned and followed the soldiers to the next position.

Drex saw the Sith approaching and cursed, hiding behind cover. If he got to close, Drex would have to hold him off. But he would also have to worry about blaster fire. He looked to his right and saw the soldier who made the call to move back and said, a little more loud than normal because of the blasters, "You! If that Sith gets too close I'll deal with him, but I'll need covering fire, alright?"

@Minuteman75

 

[Minuteman75]

Drex hadn't seen a fight quite like this one. He stayed behind a wall, watching blaster bolts whiz by, striking soldiers down. He ignited his lightsaber, a blue beam shooting out. An enemy soldier was running towards the entrance and he popped around the corner for a moment, using the force to pull the soldier closer and right onto his lightsaber. He pushed the man off and immediately got behind cover again, a blaster bolt sailing by his head. He realized he wouldn't be able to be out in the open for too long, but he needed to fight.

Suddenly, he heard a loud explosion and when he looked to the source, Drex saw a large hole in the wall. Before the soldiers got in however, he saw something get thrown outside and he turned as the flashbang went off. When the order was given to fall back, Drex nodded, deflecting blaster bolts that came hurling at them to cover their retreat. Once he found an opening, he turned and followed the soldiers to the next position.

Drex saw the Sith approaching and cursed, hiding behind cover. If he got to close, Drex would have to hold him off. But he would also have to worry about blaster fire. He looked to his right and saw the soldier who made the call to move back and said, a little more loud than normal because of the blasters, "You! If that Sith gets too close I'll deal with him, but I'll need covering fire, alright?"

@Minuteman75

Sparing a glance toward Drex, the LT considered his options. On one hand, he would prefer to content with the enemies down below were regrouping. Yet the mentioned Sith was left unchecked, their defense would be for noting.

"Fine you'll get your cover Jedi. Just don't waste it."

Daryun's repeating blaster continue to slaughter any hostiles unfortunate enough to be exposed to his line of fire. Suddenly a rocket flew upward toward the machine gun's position and exploded upon impact. Dazed by the blast for being close by Shiro looked over his cover only to see Daryun and two other troopers dead with the turret destroyed. He cursed under his breath, before several Mandalorians, using jet packs leaped upon their barricade, killing a number of surprised troopers. One of them was was about to land on top of Shiro who acting on instinct, aimed up at the chest and fire his shotgun.

The impact knocked the warrior violently backward, tumbling down the steps below. Still there were more among them but Shiro had a solution for it.

"Burn them all!" The lieutenant called out, answered by two troopers with flamethrowers coming out from the back. They then unleashed doses of fire on the hostiles were caught off guard. In an moment the small unit of proud warriors were reduced to burning victims, screaming in torment. Some of the Republic troopers were caught in it too having engaged the enemy in hand to hand. Shiro hated that it happen but they needed to hold this line a little longer.

The horde downstairs were charging up up the steps again at the same time, but slowed down by the strewn of corpses at their feet. Shiro Yama ordered the flame-troopers to head back to the next room, they'll be needed for later. Then he signal the other defenders to start lobbing grenades and they complied. A small pile of small bombs were thrown toward the invaders and exploded, killing and wounding more, stalling the advance once again.

 

[Cainhurst Crow]

It had been a long time, since she had needed to wear armor. The feeling of its weight against her body, the sound of the metal shifting with each movement she made, and the echoing of her breath from beneath her helmet, filled the century old Sephi with a sense of nostalgia as she stood in her knight armor. It's feather like armor plating on her shoulders blew in the breeze as she stood at the door of one of the dropships, her bird shaped helmet and black coloration invoking the moniker she had left behind long ago, Iosefka of House Volfe, the Knight of Crows.

Long had she hidden from that legacy, adapting the name and guise of The Vicar, a holy woman of the dark side of the force whose name was Tantibus. Fear had driven her from her home, fate had conspired to rob her of her former identity and life. It had taken nearly a hundred years for her to gather her power, and find her place in the galaxy. But now she had, and she was no longer a creature who needed to run and hide who she was.

"Get us to the roof. Ignore all other distractions..." She said in her usual deep voice, watching as one of the other dropships was shot down, and felt the fear rise up within her own vessel. "The dead will fuel our advance. Avenge your fallen, and make the enemy bleed 10 fold for each of our slain." She commanded, the words of the Vicar inspiring the men behind her as they approached the roof.

The hail of blaster fire was great, however, the vicar knew how to deal with them. Their sight was their best asset, and as she channeled the dark side within herself, she felt its cold corruption course through her body as her black eyes grew even darker, the blue iris's turning blood red for a moment as the shadows below the republic soliders on the roof began to grow and spread, and then, drift upwards like smoke. The shadowy forms grew more nebulous and thick, a entire cloud of darkness now forming as some of the soliders screamed and called out in panic, others continuing to fire upwards towards where the ship had been.

It was an illusion, nothing that could cause harm. But an illusion that plunged its victims into darkness was an excellent distraction as the Vicar jumped form the vessel, followed behind by fellow sith and troops, and landed with a soft thud as she redirected the force to cushion her fall. The illusionary fog of darkness subsided as the men now looked to her enemy on the same level as them. And the vicar ignited her red sabers, holding both in her hands, as she suddenly dashed forward and began to hack and slash her way through the enemies line.

The blaster fire began to rip into both sides, sith troops fell as republic soldiers were slain, and a new drop shop was coming in to seize the opening the vicar and her group were causing to land more troops onto the roof of the republica. "This is what it means...to truly be alive on the battlefield! Spill their blood, send their souls screaming into the force!" she said, growing her passion and fanatical belief in the dark side as she gave her sermon to her troops, slicing off the head of one of the gunners trying to arm a rocket laucher at the newest dropship, "Let them know you as the wrathful sword, come to spill the blood of all the weak and delusional."

 

[Lavi]

There were too many landing pads dotting the apartment tower that was 500 Republica. That's why the Republic needed more than just soldiers defending the building, much to Marcella's chagrin. She was tasked with assisting the Republica security detail with ensuring that the lockdown of various entrances were not sliced and overridden by enemy technicians. Normally, such a task would have been left to the assigned security employees, but an extra expense was taken for the senators who lived in the prestigious residency.

One such senator was huddled up against the wall, panic-stricken as the war raged around the building. No one could really fault him for his fear: anyone who said that they were not afraid of the fighting were either fools, liars, or dead. Marcella really wanted to get rid of him to be able to focus on her job, but their assigned evacuation dropship has not yet arrived to pick up the civilians.

500 Republica's security center was built underground to prevent the possibility of a speeder crashing into the building to disable security, which was convenient in the heat of battle.

"Unauthorized access at 1F-13-8," one of the technicians reported.

"Give me the controls," Marcella snapped, making her way to the assigned consoles and gently muscling the man aside. There was no time for niceties, so her rudeness was overlooked by the man.

1F-13-8 designated the floor, section, and console panel where an access station could be found. Ideally, these stations would be powered down, but the way that power was wired throughout the building meant that one could not simply shut down a single station. Multiple locations would lose power and to more than just the door. If the elevators end up losing power, it can trap civilians on certain floors where they are cut off from access to the stairs and create extra difficulties when reinforcements arrive to evacuate the residents.

Instead, Marcella personally handled the fine details of manipulating the security grid to shut down access ports and workarounds, slowing down the other's ability to crack the system. If she could slow down the slice attempt enough, it would give the rest of the team enough time to reset the console's security software and effectively make it impractical to attempt to crack the system.

The concept is sound when it's an enemy slicer attempting entry, but a Force user or demolition squad has no need for roundabout methods. More direct measures would have to be taken if there was a forced entry. As the team contained the access attempt, more reports were coming in.

"Rooftop security detail is collapsing!" another technician called out.

"Make sure the elevators with rooftop access are empty, send them as high as they can go, then lock them down. Put out an alert to the security details on the top floors regarding those elevators," Marcella ordered.

By having the elevators locked down at their highest point, the enemy cannot access the elevator shaft without destroying the elevator car first. It will, at best, buy time. Even if the defenders fighting up there could use the elevators, they would get slaughtered trying to get through the elevator doors.

"Alert to all personnel: the roof is being overrun. Repeat: the roof is being overrun," the communications officer relayed to the Republica security officers.

It was a matter of time before the Sith and their troops started swarming in from the top. Marcella heard the cowardly senator let out another whimper and let out a heavy sigh. After fetching a blaster pistol from the nearby table and holstering it, she walked over to the man and squatted down next to him.

"Hey, I get that you would like to get out of here right now, but do us a favor and stop trying to infect us with your cowardice," Marcella looked at the senator in the eye as she spoke and the man could only avert his gaze. She pinched his chin and pulled the man's head so that she could see his quivering eyes. He looked absolutely pathetic.

"There are three options here. First, you hope that the dropship comes and rescues us. Second, you go upstairs and try to flee on foot and probably get killed by a sniper out there. Third, you can stay here and wait for the enemy soldiers to eventually break in and execute you because of your political status. I'm sure all of us here can agree that the second and third options are less than ideal, so why don't you stop looking like you're going to wet the floor and pin your thoughts on that hopeful option one?" Marcella told him sternly. There was no point in sugar coating it: everyone who stayed was likely to die, especially since this was a basement floor where there were few avenues of escape.

"H-how can you be so calm?" the senator whispered.

"Who said that I was calm?" Marcella asked him while sarcastically looking over her shoulder at the other staff members in the room. She noticed some were watching her as she talked to the politician and gave them a look that said "seriously?" as their attentions were not on making sure that any security breaches were contained as well as possible. They took her cue and went back to work.

"News flash: I'm not calm. No one here is calm," Marcella continued. "We are all stressed beyond hell because people are dying out there. But if we huddle up in the corner and wet the floor like you, even more people are going to die. Everything we do here can be for naught, but we will never know if we could make a difference if we don't fight back. Against the enemy and against our fears."

Marcella stood up as she finished. "You can quote me on that for your next speech, Senator."

The senator could only nod his head, but felt a little more at ease after hearing Marcella's words. Taking that as the conclusion of her motivational speech, Marcella returned to her console station.

"We lost connection to 1000F," another technician reported.

Marcella swore under her breath. That was not exactly the rooftop floor so it was unlikely to be a problem caused by combat damage, so that meant that the monitors on that floor were getting their signals blocked by an outside source.

"Inform the security forces on 1000F that I'm heading over there right now to diagnose the problem," Marcella said as she made her way to the door.

A problem like this is going to spread if someone did not identify the methods used to It is going to take several elevators to reach it. The woman quietly hoped that no one takes an interest in her as she took the first elevator up. It offered an excellent view of the outdoors, after all.

 

[Mitchos]

"Get the rooftop team down here now !" Yelled at the solider in charge of the Comms, Judging from the presence he felt before and not to mention the brotherhood soldiers already breaching onto the top level Calren doubted that there would be many survivors of team he sent to the roof to harass the incoming drop ships, the soilders deaths all ready weighing on his conscious.

Sensing that the Sith presence on the roof above him was far stronger then what he had encountered before Calren made a decision. "Start moving the wounded out of here now I want everyone ready to retreat as soon as the roof team gets down here !" Turning back to the overwhelmed Comms officer again Calren continued his string of orders " Tell command we're falling back to the lower level get them to sent reinforcements up here as soon as possible". At please let there be someone who knows what to among them Calreen was unused to leading like this every decision he had made so far was based on what he felt was appropriate rather than any grand strategy

The comms officer show any sign of acknowledgement other then talking back into her comms device talking almost without any emotion in her voice stating call-signs and codes. The fighters around him were already laying down covering fire as men and women dragged their injured comrades down the stairs. The panicked survivors from the roof team were rushing down the sole entrance from the roof adding to chaos as they charged into rear of the brotherhood soliders who had already breached this level. Screams filled the air as people died , the republic forces were now almost completely evacuated save for a brave few who remained to by their comrades time to prepare their new defensive position.

Calren remained stood with remaining fighters cutting down any foe who came into reach of his lightsabers the yellow blades flashing amongst the blaster fire. He had to stop this Sith as quickly as possible before it could do anymore harm to the defending forces so he reached out with the force allowing it to sense him as a means to issue his challange, Calren may not be a great leader but Dueling, that was what he was good at.

 

[JediBatman]

Rychen continued to run towards the entrance he had made as he deflected incoming blasterfire from the republic soldiers defending the main entrance. That was until he sensed something and focused on a single soldier ducking out from behind a large piece of rubble at the top of the steps. He was aiming a rocket launcher at Rychen, and the Sith knew he would not be able to deflect something like that.

Oh blast it...

The soldier fired ahead of the Sith and Rychen slid managing to get underneath the rocket as it flew slightly overhead, however, it hit the ground a few meters away from Ry and the shockwave sent him flying forward. He hit the ground and rolled before coming up on his feet with his lightsaber reactivated and once again deflecting enemy fire as he moved behind a large speeder for cover. Rychen was almost at the entrance now, but he was jarred and his shoulder was still aching. The young Sith felt the
presence of the jedi and hoped that he was still in good enough shape to fight a few of them off.

 

[Minuteman75]

For now they were holding the second level...for whatever it's worth. No matter how much contempt Shiro had for the Sith forces he ca't deny that they're adapting to the situation. Enemy sharpshooters below were picking off any unlucky trooper they can lock onto and grenades and rockets were thrown at their defenses with suppressing fire. Shiro shielded himself behind an overturned metal counter, breathing heavily after having been hit by a stray blaster bolt in his right side a minute ago.

It's time to fall back again...hate it.

The lieutenant hand signal out of the viewpoint from enemy to the surviving defenders to retreat for the next level but in groups of two or three, while given covering fire. Shiro intended to deceive their uninvited guests into thinking they were going to fight to death for this spot, while those who escape go reinforced their allies upstairs on the third level. Slowly but surely the command was followed by those who were able to move, as the enemy horde climbed cautiously toward them, firing all the way.

As soon line became was nearly empty except for the dead and dying he looked over to the Jedi Drex again and said.

"Let's roll Jedi, we'll continue this dance upstairs."

Then he sprang forward, gritting his teeth beneath the helmet through the door into the next room. As he jogged his way through, one of the flamethrowers stood on the side, buy time for the retreat with her own life. Shiro Yama nodded at her in graidtude and respect, before moving forward, not daring to look back. He can hear the flame trooper yelled out words as the Sith host finally reach up the top of the steps.

"FOR THE REPUBLIC!"

She unleashed fiery death and torment on those in the front of the doorway. In his heart, Shiro knew she will die in an matter of seconds, he won't let her sacrifice be in vain.

 

[Cainhurst Crow]

The vicar continued her advance, seeing the republic forces pulling back as she gave a call out towards them, "Where are you running? Your enemies lay before you, Cowards! Face this battle like men of dignity!" She shouted, her sabers burning as she cracked her neck slightly, giving out a sigh as she spoke, "Giving up a good death in favor of a prolonged one...How typical of a heretic." She said as she charged towards the entrance into the rest of the building, planning to pursue the fleeing men when the blaster fire hailed outwards towards them.

The vicar pulled back, using her sabers to deflect the bolts as she marched back up the the stairs and away from the blasterfire. "Form ranks and charge, we will meet their hail of death with a hail of our own." She commanded, her men moving down, the more armored ones going first as the armies she had brought with her from Chandaar moved to push into the hall. By the time she charged back down, a few of her soliders lay dead, but they had managed to put in and make a foothold for the rest to advance. However, their attempts to go further then they had were meet with the golden blade of a jedi, and as she walked down into the next floor she saw him with her black and crimson eyes.

"Jedi Heretic..." She snarled under her breather, holstering one of her lightsabers as she gathered up the power of the force within her grasp. Sparks of energy began to emit from her grasp, swirling as they grew more intense, a bright light shining as she focused on turning the lighting in her hands into something more. The vicar focused, and soon the lightning had molded itself into a more solider spike of energy, glowing as bright as a lightsaber as she angled her grasp of the Lightning Bolt and aimed it for the Jedi, throwing it towards him as it flew like a missile of deadly dark side energy.

It sailed just past the Jedi's shoulders, and it arced as it hit one of the shoulders behind him, the lightning bursting forth and electricuting those around him. The man collapsed, dead and burned from the energy, while those around him suffered from the shock, but found themselves breathing, the jedi not being among them as she marched towards him with her own saber drawn.

"Consider that a warning, You have an opportunity before you. Repent for your divergence, from the true path of the force. Embrace the dark side, and I promise you a place among our ranks, and a chance for redemption." The Vicar said, before she brought her crimson saber and pointed it to the jedi, "Do it, or die for your false beliefs. You'll find salvation, in this life, or in death."

 

[Jason Vaiken]

Broadcasted in an open channel the holographic figure of Aethoria Tyradell appears for those who wish to pick it up, "Republic dogs, your fleet lies shattered before me, your stations are now debris floating in this starry expanse, and the Brotherhood has begun blockading the planet. Your refugees and evacuees are perishing with the remnants of your fleet. You have failed, you will lose this planet and you will perish, make peace and prepare, for your death approaches."

Next they will see many more Sith fighters and bombers appear in the skies of Coruscant, attacking evacuation ships, civilian centres, and military targets with surgical precision and then the more ominous site of 3 Empyreal Class Star Destroyers and 20 War Leviathans appear in atmosphere and preparing to unleash orbital bombardments at the behest of Sith and Mandalorian High Command.

//OOC Note: That means that if you would like something special, either PM me, or if you're a Sith or Mando AFL, feel free to call on these ships to go and help you out.

 

[Lavi]

"So what you're saying is that the security center has been completely cut off!" Marcella almost yelled into her comlink as she took the third elevator up. "I should not have to remind you what that means for everyone left in the building!"

With the security center at risk of being overrun, that meant that the lockdown sequences could be overridden, locked doors opened, and security cameras monitored by the enemy. That is unless the team trapped down there could destroy the consoles before the enemy could kill them. Even with the controls destroyed, locked doors and sealed windows will eventually fail without the center's guidance.

She pulled out her pistol and flipped off the safety as the elevator announced the one-thousandth floor with a soft hum. Marcella was not expecting to see any fighting on the floor yet: the roof is still some ways above her. But it felt better to be prepared in case her expectation did not meet reality.

Marcella could hear the hurried footsteps and muffled blaster fire upstairs as she jogged down the maze of hallways. There was the occasional explosion of a grenade going off, but nothing that looked immediately concerning. Several soldiers passed her along the way as they worked to set up barricades and defensive barriers to create and defend the floor's choke points.

"You're going into the contested space on this floor," one of them warned her.

"Then I'm going to have to be quick," Marcella called out over her shoulder.

Even with the security center at risk of being overrun, it still needed to do its job for as long as possible. The security terminal on the floor was still intact, but it was on lockdown as part of the preparations for defending the floor. Marcella swiped her card to turn it back on and started digging into the database. Something was blocking the signal, which can jeopardize the defense effort. She needed to figure out how the Sith were doing it, especially now. If she could replicate the methodology, then if the security center was hijacked before it could be destroyed, then Marcella could neuter whatever advantage they could gain from controlling the center.

Someone was talking on the open channel as she worked, which Marcella eventually figured was not from the Republic. Even with the Sith fleets entering the atmosphere, if they were really here to destroy 500 Republica, then why put in the effort of trying to break into the building? They could just as easily blockade the tower with fighters, keeping Republic ships from evacuating the residents, until the tower could be obliterated by the fleet and then they could mop up the rest. They wanted something from the building.

Or someone, she mused.

From her own examination, the security system on the floor was working as intended, which meant that there had to be some sort of outside interference. Marcella pulled out her tablet from her bag and plugged it into the terminal. It took a few minutes until she figured that whoever was responsible was not so much blocking the signal as scrambling the information to turn it into gibberish by mixing random noise into the contents. That information was received at the center as noise and determined to be nonsense by the technician. This method, however, made it easy to locate the source and cut off its access since the data stream would be fine until the moment it meets with the scrambler.

With the problem taken care of, Marcella went through the procedure of returning the terminal to lockdown as well as packing up her belongings while there was still time. Some more soldiers passed by, some injured while others were turned towards the direction they came in case of enemy pursuers. Marcella joined them as they walked towards the next barricade.

"Is this everyone?" Marcella asked.

"No, there are a few others and the Jedi," one responded back.

Marcella sighed. Of course it's the selfless ones who screw things up for everyone else. If this Jedi dies up there, then their secondary defense will be much weaker. She turned around and started running the other way. They need as many people as they can, especially if they are Jedi.

She readied her pistol as she made it to the stairs and crept the rest of the way up, the barrel pointed at the door. Opening the door a crack, she saw what looked like the Jedi about to battle a Sith. Marcella knew better than to barge in at random and waited with her weapon ready. In the worst case scenario, Marcella would have to abandon the Jedi right there. She was ready to do exactly that, if the worst case scenario became reality.

In situations like these, it is very possible.

@Mitchos @Cainhurst Crow

 

[Mitchos]

Calren flinched as the Sith's lighting streaked past him and stuck the soldier behind. To Calren the act was a pointless display of power the Sith had ended a life for no reason other then because she could. The following talk of joining the dark side of the force as a means seek redemption caused Carlen's self control to slip as he struggled to hold his anger in check.


"Get out now" he ordered the the remaining defenders shouting the order as loud as he could. With the majority of them now in a state of shock they would be almost useless at the current. The effect this Sith had had on them was far to obvious as what was supposed to be an tactical retreat resembled a route more then anything else the panicked soldiers rushed out the door with only the most experienced or bravest of the defenders providing cover.

The logical part of his mind was telling him he was being selfish and that he should be with the retreating defenders to them to aid in the defense of the next level but his need to confront the Sith and her twisted logic overruled this thought as he strode towards the Sith both lightsabers moving as he deflected any stay blaster bolts .

"You dare preach to me about redemption after all the pointless death you and your kind caused here today !" Calren said the anger clear in his voice standing just out of range of the Siths lightsaber " It will be you finding redemption today and that will be in your death"

With his speech over Calren attacked attempting to knock the Sith's light saber out the left with the saber in his left hand and following through with a thrust with his right aiming for the Sith's chest

 

[Cainhurst Crow]

The vicar stood in her armor as she stood with her arms crossed, watching the jedi evacuate his men and holding up a hand for her men to cease fire for a moment within the corridor. She waited in silence until most were filed through before she spoke aloud.

"Prolonging their life will not save it. Whether it is me, my men, our ships, our army, or time itself, death shall come to claim them. You merely delay the inevitable." She said, reaching up with both of her sabers, giving both of them a flourish as she flicked them back to facing the ground, "We sith offer the means to escape death, and exist beyond our mortal coils. Compared to that, you are nothing."

When the jedi charged, the Vicar shifted her feet and brought her right saber upwards and angled it down like a scorpions tail, aiming it down as her left saber was held in a normal fencing guard, blade accross her chest. The stance was a hybrid, combing the stances of makashi and soresu as the jedi came forward. His left hand, being on her right side, struck out at her left hand. The move surprisng her as his arm went accross his body to do so, before his right hand on her left side attempted to plunge itself into her chest.

Her years of practice with soresu and the footwork of makashi resolved this rather quickly however. She took a step backwards, and brought her right handed guard down to slam into the back of his saber, pushing it down into the ground as her left handed saber sparked, sliding along her opponents blade but staying locked as she said, calmly,

"Death is the invetiable end state of life. What does it matter, if it comes now, or in the future?" She asked with a smile beneath her helmet, seeing the world as merely one rotted and dead land, waiting to reach its point of 0 energy.

@Mitchos @Lavi

 

[Lavi]

Marcella was surprised that the survivors were allowed to fall back, but she had no reason to object to it. As the men retreated, she went over to one of the more seriously wounded and relieved him of his weapons. She gave a couple of the grenades to another, but kept a couple, two concussive grenades and a flashbang, for herself. The slicer also took a rifle for herself, returning the pistol to its holster for the time being. She wasn't trained on how to use them, let alone shoot them, but it seemed as straightforward as using a pistol.

She fully understood that she is not a fighter or a soldier: she is just a technician with some physical stamina. But she also concluded that things will go very bad very fast without a Jedi.

As the woman readied herself, the comlink beeped. It was the senator from the security center.

"They're coming," he said. She could hear the blaster fire in the background. "We have already sabotaged the consoles, but we have nowhere to go. It was only fleeting, but ... thank you for giving me hope. M-may the Force be with you."

"And with you," answered Marcella. She is anything but religious, but it is impossible to not understand the gravity of the situation.

With a brief "good luck," the connection was cut.

Marcella took a deep breath before peeking through the sliver of an opening to the door that led to the rooftop scene. The Jedi and Sith were trading blows and the soldiers around them were merely watching the display. Marcella flipped on her pair of tinted glasses, which helped her focus her eyes and kept the dirt out, and switched the rifle off of its safety setting. It was nerve-wrecking to be the only one trying to save the Jedi from his idiocy, but she reminded herself that she will probably die without his talents.

Finally, she lined up her small collection of grenades on the floor in front of her as she kneeled down at the door. She held her rifle in one hand and picked up one of the spherical concussion grenades. Throwing it at the duel was completely out of the question, but the soldiers were another matter entirely.

Because of this, Marcella waited for her opportunity.

@Mitchos @Cainhurst Crow