Ask [Mustafar] Scoping Out the Wastes

Wiley Winnz

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Wiley had at his disposal a few assets thanks to his interaction with Darth Malicia previously. Two Gozanti bulk cruisers each with a compliment of star fighters was enough to garner safe passage to the volcanic world but it was by no means an occupation force. The total number of passengers and crew of the ships was less than fifty. The TIE Elder pilots for one Gozanti would not depart and would remain on standby with a dozen troopers that were armed and ready to assist if needed.

The other four interceptors were patrolling the air in two pairs of two and would earn their name should any airborne threats present themselves. Mostly they were also scouting to see if other unknown settlements or points of interest were nearby. Little was known about this and they were coming back after a long time of being away. But this was an act of reclamation. "This is ours." He said confidently with a smirk across his wolfish face.

With a gozanti and starfighters in reserve and the other starfighters patrolling, the lone bulk cruiser set down on the deck of the landing platform. Not far away, the blackened volcanic surface of the world stretched into the cloudy orange and red horizon. The large disembarkation ramp of the ship allowed the dozen troopers in armor to begin marching off. Each was armed appropriately with blaster rifles and moved out ahead of the Sith. Two of the troopers were armed with rotary blasters though the man wondered how well they would fair against anything that could be lurking inside the fortress. Wiley turned to his companion as he didn't have his mask on currently. The ashy world would be manageable once they ventured inside.

Ahead of them, the structure of Fortress Vader jutted up out of the cliff edge and into the sky. The symbolic tuning fork appearance mirroring that of a temple on Jedha for the Jedi. Though this was more 'in tune' with the dark side. In Wiley's opinion it was more like a spike, thrusting itself into the sky.

"Two Sith Marauders an' a dozen troopers...yeah, think this'll do. How about you?" The woman had not spoken a lot during their travels. Then again, Wiley had spent time in his meditation chamber for much of the transit.

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Zara

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Zara quietly waited in back of the cruiser for much of the trip over. Trying to meditate and focus, to calm herself and strengthen her connection to the shadow. But found only irritation and anger. The loss suffered on Felucia was one not easily forgotten. The harder she tried to push it out of her mind, the deeper it wormed it's way into her mind. Festering.

Eager to redeem herself, the Nightsister joined what she thought was a recon mission to the planet once controlled by Darth Vader himself. Very quickly she realized with was this was less a scout mission and more a expeditionary force. Less recon, and more like secure the surrounding area. "So be it", she thought to herself.

As they made their approach to the planet the Nightsiser would join the landing party just as the ship touched down. As the ramp lowered the "tuning fork appeared like a monolith out of the cliff. Zara imagined it was far more impressive over a hundred years ago. However time was not a kind mistress.

"I'm surprised you did not invite more?" a garbled female voice questioned playfully. As always when not on her home world of Dathomir, the Nightsiser was in her Sith armor. Including the fully sealed helmet. "I think if we had this much on Felucia, much would be different."

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Wiley Winnz

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"How'd that go?" He asked. The Marauder had been forward deployed ever since the Sith had lost Sullust. First he had ventured into the bowls of the Kafrene and found little there. "I haven't really been in the loop." He was a low level Sith with not a lot of clearance. The Dark Side told him topical information, otherwise he got his news from the holo-tubes.

Formerly assisted by Malacia did have its downsides. At least that was what Wiley suspected. But the man got by all the same. All he needed was the Dark Side, preferably with a ship. Maybe he had been sent here to be gotten rid of.

Wiley gave the armored nightsister a look, wondering if maybe she had done somethin to piss off the higher ranks. "Think you're getting crap duty as punishment?" He was thinking it so why not bring it up. Wiley spoke his mind unless he felt like he was going to get smacked in response. Even then he usually opened his mouth.

The Marauder walked out across the bleak wasteland. The fiery veins making the cloudy sky form a glowing ash filled ceiling. Only in the far horizon did the light give the hint of being beyond the clouds. Even then, it only served to add to the hellish contrast. Ahead of them the squad of troops marched closer in formation. In Wiley's opinion this was bare bones assets. For Zara to comment and thing that would have made a difference on Felucia gave him a tiny bit of insight towards her feelings but he was curious to learn more.

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Zara

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"There's not much to tell really. The Jedi seemed to have an answer for everything we threw at their forces." She spoke planely. In truth there was little she could say. She had nearly taken the life of a Padawan before he was saved by another Jedi. She was forced to withdraw after. Much of what she knows was only the word of the others who remained to finish the fight and later retreat.

"There is no loop?" she replied questioningly. Clearly missing his expression. She looked to him as he was clearly studying her. "No, I chose to come. You see this as one though. Your demeanor says as much." Though she knew little of Malacia, she knew she was the ire of Queen Renfry. Those who chose her side were likely suffering a similar fate.

The Nightsister continued to walk with the man. Returning her attention to the world around them. She did not see the importance of such a place, other than it held some meaning to the Order due in large part to it's history. Here and there local natives worked the lava flows, or mines. There was nothing here.

"Why do you think the order wants this place so badly. Rather then take back Sullust or Felucia?"
 

Wiley Winnz

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The tone of frustration and regret was precieved by Wiley in the fellow Champion's words. The man knew from experience that could be harnessed and molded into a tool Zara could use. That was the way of the Sith and their methods with the dark side.

The black-clad Ossein shrugged and shook his head. "Not at all...well maybe a little bit. Mission is a mission. Mostly just wondering if I should expect you to be slowing me down is all." He said bluntly. Wiley was not the most patient man but got things done his way when he meant to. If the Dathomirian witch was expecting him to pull his weight and her's, she would be unpleasantly surprised.

Ahead of them the group of troopers moved into formation and approached the edge of the Fortress's outer structures. The closer they got the higher the building rose into the smoke choked sky. The robed champion directed one squad to circle around to the hangar.

"There was a Sith Lord that constructed it for Darth Vader long ago." Wiley was a little bit of a fan boy when it came to Galactic Empire and First Order related trivia. "Influence I think with the Dark Side, information, power, I think all those things are what Cinere Autem wants." The Ossein believed it was possible. Part of him desired it all for himself but knew that cooperation was a necessity. That alone kept a seed of hatred ever-burning in the back of his mind.

"That's just this place." His hand motioned towards the immediate area and the ground beneath their feet. "Can't you feel what else is on this planet? What's deeper?" His steps stopped for a moment to look at Zara. "Stop for moment." It was unusual for him to say such a thing but he expected what came next may require some focus. "Reach out to the planet and tell me what you feel is here." It was a request that could both enlighten the Champion and also satiate Wiley's curiosity.

@Taz
 

Zara

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Zara could feel the other Sith's examination. His emotions hung in the air like the ashy smoke all round them. He did little to hide his arrogance or his distrust of her as a fellow warrior of the order. The Nightsister simply rolled her eyes under her helmet. The irony of his accusation caused her to laugh aloud. A truly creepy sound through the helmet's voice scrambler.

"You bring a small army on a simple scouting mission, yet have the nerve to imply I may slow you down." she said mockingly. She continued to walk as the group came to the edge of the fortress. Ignoring his rant of power and influence as she looked around. The massive doors already breached, rust and oxidization already taking its tole. Left by looters or perhaps the First Order when they came.

The looked back at the man as he suddenly asked her to stop and smell the ash, right after implying she would slow him down, and after she called him on it. She was not some foolish little girl, or weak fresh faced acolyte who only recently opened to the shadow, or rather dark side as they preferred.

"If you are like this with all of your partners I now understand why the council sent you away for such a long time. Can we move on, or are you going to continue to slow me down ?" She answered in another mocking tone.

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Wiley Winnz

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She did not like being tested it would seem. But she was a stranger to Wiley and he wanted to get the measure of her. He could only shrug at her last remark. The Champion wasn't about to apologize for trying to impart some wisdom.

"Very well. Let's not waste any more time then." His dark stride took him to the door controls. Pulling his fusion cutter to unseal the panel that had a bit of crust around it's edge. After a few more sparking prods, the age old doors opened with a low rumbling shudder.

From the hangar, there appeared to be a handful of Alazmec of Winsit lurking inside the ruins connecting to the hangar. +Sir, we've cornered several cultists.+ The voice of one of the troopers came in over the comlink. +They've surrendered their weapons+ Wiley paused but gave a reply a moment later. Chances were they saw how well equiped the troopers were and also knew more were not far behind. It also meant there probably were not more of the Alazmec nearby to help them. "Stun them all and detain them. I'm curious about what they know about this place. I'll be right over." What was faster than just pulling the lay of the land straight from the minds of the locals. He turned and headed to circumvent the interior of the fortress, not wanting to deal with any internal defenses if it could be avoided. The perimeter of Fortress Vader was their primary objective to scout so before going deeper it was best to just grab the closest bit of intelligence gathering.

The black garbed champion of darkness marched casually along the rocky exterior, hopping and leaping with the aid of the Force to easily overcome obstacles that would cause normal people dozens of seconds if not minutes to pass. If Zara wished to join him she was free to. But Wiley was keen to pull information directly from the source.

Arriving at the hangar and looking inside, the Sith saw the half dozen troopers. They were just getting back to switching their blasters back to lethal when Wiley approached. The enemy's weapons lay in front of prone bodies of the cultists. "Well done. Suppose it's my turn now. Hold that one down first." Flexing his right gloved hand, he slapped the first one back awake. The following wriggling protests as the stunned and groggy individual came to were met only by the return of the dark hand which began to intrude deep into the cultists mind.

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