Open Shadows Of The Dying

[Sybella Demici]

Theme
​

The Galactic Correctional Penitentiary, affectionately known as ‘The Rock’, loomed amidst the desolate expanse of space; it was, in fact, more akin to a foreboding fortress, with the light from a distant, minor sun creating a rather eerie glow upon the prison's metallic surface. Inside was an immense central chamber, a labyrinthine network of cell blocks that stretched out in all directions. The chrome coloured walls were devoid of any distinguishing features and the corridors (dimly lit by flickering holographic lights) echoed with the sound of metal boots striking the durasteel floor; intermingling with them was the distant wails of prisoners and the occasional mechanical hum of surveillance drones. Within each cell, the inmates found themselves confined to cramped quarters, where their only solace lay in the faint view of the starlit cosmos through a small, reinforced viewport. Cold metal bunks, bolted to the walls, provided the only semblance of comfort, while an unsympathetic robotic voice droned through hidden speakers, serving as a constant reminder of their captive state.

In the heart of the facility, a heavily fortified control room stood as the nerve center of the prison's operations. Prison officers, their uniforms immaculate and adorned with symbols of authority, monitored a vast array of surveillance screens, tracking every movement within the compound. They relished in the power they wielded over the lives of those locked away, reveling in their mastery of control and punishment. Outside the control room, a series of imposing force fields sealed off restricted areas, preventing any unauthorized access. The occasional flicker of blue energy danced along the barriers, serving as a potent reminder of the contraption’s capability to neutralize any threat with swift, lethal force.

​

Deep within the bowels of ‘The Rock’, tucked away in a highly guarded section accessible only to the highest-ranking officers, lay a chamber of eerie stillness and faintly glistening technology. It housed a row of imposing stasis bacta tanks, each containing a high-profile criminal submerged in a state of suspected animation. The tanks, sleek and gleaming, emitted a soft blue glow that illuminated the otherwise dim surroundings. Sedative fluids, a concoction designed to keep the prisoners in a state of tranquilized slumber, filled the transparent chambers, suspending their bodies in a weightless suspension. Tubes and wires connected to their inert forms, monitoring vital signs and administering nutrients to sustain their existence.

Within one of the tanks, a figure of notoriety lay motionless, bathed in the pale blue light. Her identity, mostly obscured by the hazy fluid, was reduced to nothing more than an imprisoned vessel. This individual, once a Jedi Knight, was now rendered helpless, trapped in a state of perpetual slumber. Around the tanks, silent sentinels in the form of medical droids floated, their mechanical appendages gliding with precision. They tended to the needs of the prisoners, ensuring their sedation levels remained optimal and their bodies sustained. With a detached efficiency, the droids monitored vital signs, adjusting the flow of sedatives and bacta fluids as necessary, their actions a testament to the facility’s unyielding determination to keep these criminals subdued.

The air within the chamber was laced with a sterile scent, a mix of antiseptics and chemical agents designed to maintain the delicate balance within the stasis tanks. Soft hums and clicks emanated from the surrounding machinery, creating a symphony of technological precision that echoed through the otherwise stillness of the chamber. Stasis bacta tanks were regarded as the ultimate method of containment, preserving the prisoners' bodies and minds in a state of limbo, their crimes effectively frozen in time. It was a chilling sight, to witness the fallen and feared reduced to mere specimens, forever suspended between consciousness and oblivion.

The prison officers who had access to this hidden chamber regarded it with a mixture of fascination and trepidation. For within these tanks lay a collection of dangerous adversaries, whose awakening could bring chaos and upheaval to the galaxy’s unstable sense of order. And so, it was best if they (the prisoners) remained confined. So, as the sedative fluids gently swirled within the stasis bacta tanks, Sybella Demici remained as she was, drifting through a seemingly endless void of dreams and oblivion. Her mind silenced, her body preserved, Sybella remained trapped in the unnatural state of slumber, for surely the galaxy would tremble should she ever resurge.

Spoiler

Jail Break!
@Darasuum @DMCK

 

[Kotii Solus]

Kotii hoped he had made the right calculations or else this was going to play out a bit differently than expected. But the Solus warrior was well versed in explosives and smuggling so had some confidence in his own ability. The echani-offshoot could not stop himself from checking his chrono still and the communication signals that would clue him into an alarm being raised. However, he hoped to see an alarm, as long as it was the type he was planning on raising.

Today Black Hand was joined by another Mandalorian, this being the second time working with @Vyr Zenos . The two of them were planning to break out Sybella Demici thanks to a generous benefactor. Kotii had his doubts about what was said regarding the Serenno noble. He had been the victim of capture and slander before. The man’s own opinion of Sybella and his instincts said she was not the psychotic murder the holonews had made her own to be. Afterall, Jedi and Mandalorians had teamed up to rescue Kotii. It only seemed appropriate to return the favor.

Kotii could not, and did not ask his son for help. Rancor Squadron could not afford to get involved directly and while Hauron may have been willing, the man could not bring himself to involve his son with a multi-million bounty on his head. The Group Leader of Rancor Squad had other things to deal with including hundred of Mandalorians to lead.

Along with his companions, Kotii stood onboard a modified A-Z-Z-3 light freighter. The starship had its laser cannons replaced with water gun nozzles and fire suppression equipment. The containment spaces inside the ship were routed to the water turrets and the exterior clearly marked as a civilian emergency service vessel with appropriate markings.

Kotii was already garbed in his firefighting uniform. The suit was different from his normal beskar’gam but it would cover his face and hide his identity during the chaos to come. The light uniform had a filter and utility HUD along with a thermal underlay, armorweave protection, and emergency vac-suit for god measure. Most of the Mandalorian’s weapons were still close at hand though he had opted for a more covert loadout. All of his weapons were concealed and meant to pass through. Hopefully if his plan went off without a hitch the guards would never know they lost a prisoner.

—​

Moving its way into the depths of the Galactic Correctional Penitentiary were scores of cryogenically frozen goods. The facility was isolated with good reason but needed to have much of its supplies imported from out of the system. Sometimes a dungeon ship or transport would resupply this place along with a complement of fresh prisoners. Otherwise it relied on specific supply transports to deliver these.

Security was the antithesis of convenience in Kotii’s mind. It provided protection but added layers and steps delaying the speed and freedom that normally was available in the less lawful parts of the galaxy. There was a sufficient balance but this was not it.

One crate among the literal tons of supplies contained a layer of frozen food. The dead organic matter would be expected on scanners. The energy signature of the cryostasis and the numbers would decrease suspicion since both were adding to the monotony of what was one day among hundreds for the guards of the Rock. Hidden underneath layers of hardened foodstuffs inside the locked crate was a scatterweave coated package, further reflecting and eluding scanners. Inside this package was a timed explosive device set to blast a fire bomb.

The resulting explosion would erupt from the storerooms after it was transferred. The staff would be none the wiser and none of them would be injured, not at first unless they were napping on the job or sneaky a snack for themselves. The explosion would be felt throughout the entire penitentiary. Damage to neighboring compartments and loss of power would lead to sedation machines halting, lights going out and energy needing to be rerouted or risk a cascade of subsequent issues. Prisoners would likely begin to try to ensue chaos themselves or take advantage of the situation. Meanwhile the wardens needed to call on firefighting assistance while simultaneously beginning evacuation procedures for all personnel, including imprisoned "guests".


@HoneyMagpie @DMCK

 

[Darth Tiamat]

There were rumors...but that's it, nothing much else could be found as to what would become of the Jedi woman. Tiamat was impressed with how things turned out and the arrest of the Jedi as she had tried to make her escape. Even more was the popularity Raze was gaining from showing off his finesse, using the Force in such a way to sway the noble houses into seeing him as some hero. She had not decided how much she liked that, nor how much she liked the idea of him building a reputation on Serenno. A part of her preferred his more overt, and destructive work like on Ithor, and now it was unmistakable that what was happening on Byblos was something so corrupted and dark, it could only be from one being.

And watching it unfold was like tasting the finest of wines...

Regardless, a tug of the Force and her own manipulation of security, Tiamat had managed to snake aboard this prison and access the computer lines through the terminal. It was a closed network, and just because one couldn't access it on the outside, there was an assumption to go cheap on the firewalls. She wore her armor beneath her dark robes, the shadows of the place made it easy to slip about. She forgone her original helmet to a more subtle mask with her hood drawn over, and her weapon hidden on her body in case anything crazy happened.

She unplugged from the terminal and begun to head toward where the Demici woman was being held.

 

[Vyr Zenos]

Vyr had been contacted by the Mandalorian he had worked with previously on Coruscant. The job outlined was exactly the sort of thing he was looking for. He knew about the “Rock”. A remote and seemingly impenetrable prison. Successfully breaking someone out would be a major coup.

The client had chosen to remain anonymous. Not unusual. Strangely, the target that needed extraction was a Jedi. He wasn’t concerned with what she had supposedly done. Guilty or innocent; it didn’t mean anything to him.

Kotii’s plan seemed a good one. A large explosion to cause chaos, that would allow them to slip in and try to grab the Jedi. The firefighter disguises were good and the freighter’s modifications meant it was quite convincing as a firefighting vehicle.

Vyr stood on the ship, near to Kotii. Vyr had also made sure to keep his weapons well concealed on his person. He did wonder, though he kept it to himself, if anyone else may be interested in acquiring the Jedi.

@Darasuum @HoneyMagpie @GABA

 

[Sybella Demici]

Secluded within the confines of her own chamber, Sybella found herself in a peculiar state. Her form, submerged in the tank, had been suspended in an ever-circulating, translucent blue liquid. Designed primarily to sedate prisoners, the tank's purpose was rather twisted, restraining the Jedi in a near constant state of drifting consciousness.

As part of the regular maintenance, there were brief lapses in the prisoner’s soporific dosages. Medical droids would check prisoners’ vitals, including their cognitive activity upon momentary return to partial lucidity. Lights would strobe across the surface of the tank, checking for optic reactions. It was in these fleeting moments that Sybella's weary mind struggled to regain clarity, seeing as she trapped between the perpetual realms of awareness and slumber. Her senses were, at best, dulled. The same could be said for her distorted perception. It was within the depths of her drifting consciousness that visions emerged like ethereal wisps dancing in the void; fragmented memories and half-formed thoughts swirled around her, both distant and familiar. Faces of loved ones and comrades appeared sporadically, their expressions once clear as crystal then turning hazy. Soon enough, the figures faded, giving way to echoes of battles fought and won; there were whispers as well, from the Force itself perhaps?

Yet, amid the scattered fragments, darkness loomed, casting its shadow over her drifting state. Images of betrayal and loss slithered forth through the corners of her mind, threatening to consume her just as easily as the abyss of sleep. Doubt and uncertainty started to claw once more at the edges of her consciousness, their insidious tendrils scratching at what little was left. With the cycle of sedation starting once more, Sybella fought against the encroaching darkness. Previous episodes had taught her this: pain was a hell of a stimulant. Visions of the past caused tremors of movements; the motions (sometimes erratic) caused the Jedi to thrash somewhat in her tank. A hand sometimes smashed against the glass, along with a knee or shoulder. On this ocassion, Sybella smacked her head against the surface of the tank. The ache was a throbbing one, but it did the job, chasing away artificial slumber; fragments of lucidity were slowly falling into place.

Something had distracted the droids, halting their usual routine. Whatever it was, it was enough to cause ripples within the tanks themselves; the whole structure housing the chambers shook. An earthquake? No, no - it was too short-lived. An explosion?

@Darasuum @GABA @DMCK

 

[Kotii Solus]

Spoiler: Music

The signal on the cockpit lit up and Kotii went into action. The following moments alarms sounded, people were yelling and Kotii could not care less about the prison or its guards' problems. His job was to save lives and it helped him play the part.

"You want to fight the fires and I guard the prisoners? No? Then shut up and get me there so I can keep us all alive." He barked back at t burly looking guard who had begun to stand in his way. Kotii was not a small man but it took a big person to keep in check bigger criminals. That did not keep the Solus from defaulting to his natural setting. However flames did not care and burned moral and immoral flesh either way, something the guard seemed to understand as he let the disguised firefighters past. "You won't be able to get through some parts without access." He flashed a code cylinder before walking past them and beginning to lead the way.

Without delay the firefighters were escorted through the prison with expedience. It became clear to Kotii that his plan had worked. The guards looked panicked and some were already talking about escape pods, abandoning the station or transport schedules. Whatever it was, they did not want to be here any longer. "We've been designated to deal with the fires nearest the immobile prisoners." With a gruff grunt the guard gestured and continued trudging ahead, presumably taking them closer to Sybella.

Down on corridor, a turbo lift and down another hallway before they got close to the fire. The smoke was bad enough that the guard didn't refuse. There were a few twists and turns to get back but it was easy enough for the Hunter to commit the path to memory or rely on the copy of the map he had in his pocket. However he did not want to show that in front of the guard. Thankfully it seemed he was taking them close to where the stasis bacta tanks were located.

@HoneyMagpie @DMCK @GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

The whole structure shook under her feet and soon the klaxons were sounding as staff and prisoners were alerted of the fires that were spreading through several floors of the prison. The woman paused, feeling the chaos grow in the building, the fear that radiated from both guards and prisoners alike as they realized they could be facing the worse was like a fine wine to the woman. It was delicious as it was intoxicating; many who were locked away here were those who thought themselves as the toughest in the galaxy, and when it came to a bitty little fire, the dark woman could easily see through their true selves.

The Force twisted subtly to her command, the fear spread quicker than the fire itself and multiple alarms would begin to sound, not only was there a fire, but now one for the riots that were breaking out everywhere, Kotii (@Darasuum) would find it difficult to make his way to his destination, guards now rerouting the firefighting team away from the rioters.

Chaos and now death- Tiamat reveled in it, and then she thought about the Jedi woman. She would be trapped in her own cell, a stasis, unmoving, unvalued by those who ran this place. The guards would not care about their prisoners unless someone was paying them to care; she would be no different from some of the sickest and most twisted beings who resided here. And now the dark woman hoped she burned with them. It was not difficult to spread more fires, the rioters did well to light their belongings on fire and even some of the guards on fire too.

Tiamat moved as a wraith in the shadows, stroking the fears and rage the prisoners felt, ensuring fears would be validated. She found herself a terminal and plugged in, tapping into the safety precautions built to isolate disasters such a fires. It was an easy code to remove, and quickly did it show its effectiveness as fire doors and fire deterrent stopped functioning. The flames would be reported over the radios to be spreading; rapidly, flames ate across fuel sources such as oxygen and life support. The lights would flicker before another large explosion would rock the entire prison.

It would be then, Tiamat would begin to find her exit.

@Darasuum @DMCK @HoneyMagpie

 

[Vyr Zenos]

Upon exiting the ship, they were soon greeted by a guard who seemed determined to obstruct them. Fortunately, his fellow hunter’s forceful words were enough to persuade the guard to help them through the facility.

Slowly, the guard guided the two hunters towards their target. The smoke was getting worse, but the firefighting suit helped. Maybe this will be easier than I thought it would be. Not much chance of that. Alarms began to sound, adding to the chaos. The large guard escorting them, gestured for them to stop. He spoke in a hushed, yet clearly concerned, tone of voice over the comlink. “Problem,” Vyr asked. “Escaped prisoners are loose in the next section. I have orders to escort any personnel who aren’t security away from this area. You’re being rerouted to another part of the facility.” Vyr’s mask concealed his slight annoyance. He could wait for Kotii to respond, but he felt it better to take swift action. Springing forward, he planted his knee into the guard’s groin. They hunched over in pain and Vyr followed that with a hard left uppercut to the jaw. The guard’s unconscious body dropped to the ground. He took the code cylinder from their body, chucking it to Kotii. “Let’s get on with this.” It was at that moment; a powerful explosion rocked the facility. Vyr was just about able to steady himself and keep his balance. The damage to the prison would surely have taken many crucial systems offline. The rioters also presented a potential issue. They needed to hurry.

@Darasuum @HoneyMagpie @GABA

 

[Sybella Demici]

Something was wrong. Sybella could sense it through her artificial haze. There fear and panic. It wasn’t in the immediate vicinity however, not yet. Pressing close to the glass, she tried to assess the surroundings that were partially visible beyond her tank. Flashes of memories came flooding in but, for now, she pushed them aside in an attempt to focus. She thought she could see something, shadows moving just outside her periphery.

It was then a medical droid came slamming into the front of her tank. The suddenness of it all made her lurch back, not that there was much space to do so. Again and again, the medical droid was bashed against the glass, creating sizeable cracks. Preservative bacta fluid began to spill forth, draining the pod just enough for Sybella to see the perpetrator. It was a Wookiee. A hulking, mammoth of a Wookiee that was covered in a tapestry of battle scars. Like many others in the tanks, the behemoth (known as Gralkar) had stirred from his artificial slumber and natural constitution allowed him to act more quickly than others. Shattering the glass with his own freakish strength, the Wookie broke free and began to attack the medical droids that moved to sedate him once more; with a roar that echoed through the chamber, Gralkar tore the first droid apart. As more rushed forward, they were met with fury like never before.

Gralkar, unleashed and enraged, swung his powerful limbs with unmatched force. The droids' metallic bodies crumpled and sparked under the Wookiee's furious assault. One by one, they fell, their circuits fried and limbs torn asunder. A fierce battle cry filled the room, drowning out the alarms and jeering cries of awakening inmate; carnage continued, with Gralkar smashing equipment and flinging droids aside like discarded toys. The Wookiee's strength seemed boundless as he fought with primal rage, one that was no longer restrained by the shackles of captivity.

Some security forces entered the chamber, though not as many as one would have expected. Something else must be happening, diverting the facility’s personnel. Taking advantage of the mayhem, Sybella slipped her hand through the shattered glass and blindly felt for the latch. When it finally gave way, the heavy panel needed to be kicked open. Muscles, long dormant, were sluggish and slow to react; Sybella only managed a step forward before clumsily stumbling onto the shards of broken glass. She would have cried out, if not for the breathing apparatus still affixed about her mouth. Clawing at it, the respirator slipped off, allowing the woman to finally breath (even if the air itself was cold and sterile).

As expected, the Wookie had made short work of the few guards attending to the chamber. Many had been tossed and thrown about; luckily, however, they still retained their limbs. Yet when Gralkar loomed over one of the unconscious guards, holding aloof a heavy, rendered console, Sybella (out of habit) intervened. It was an awkward attempt, calling on the Force, to pull the metal out of the Wookie’s grasp; he wasn’t expecting it, however, so the console was successfully yanked free. Spinning round, the beastly bipedal glared threateningly at Sybella, his one remaining eye narrowed in spite.

Undaunted, she stared the Wookie down, only stating a simple word. “Enough…”

Tension between the two rose, with nothing between them except the ever blaring alarms. Gralkar, with a gruff holler, must have decided he had wasted enough time in the chambers. Lumbering to the shutter doors, he wrenched them open with some decisive tugs. He paused, however, and sniffed the air. Other prisoners had already broken loose from their tanks; they ran straight into the open hallway without a moment of hesitation. They saw an opening and took it but not the Wookie and not Sybella. Instead, Gralkar marched to the opposing set of doors and did the same as before, forcing them open with nothing but brute strength. Again, he sniffed and (deeming it safe?) ventured forth into a labyrinth of hallways.

Sybella blinked, looking back and forth from the chamber of tanks to the escaping inmates. So, that was it. She was in a prison of some sorts. It should come as no surprise, given her crimes. Crouching, with her head hung low, Sybella wanted to lament; how could things have gone so wrong? How could she have attacked a ranger? She had even threatened to kill Nick Shaw, a man she had once called an ally.

‘I deserve to be here…’ In truth, she could just sit there, and wait for the chaos to subside. Maybe she’d face some leniency - were the Jedi aware of her incarceration? The facility didn’t seem to manage by them.

Yet something nagged at her. Intuition, perhaps. ‘If I stay here…I’ll die.’ The thought alone gave her the chills. Then again, it might have been the residue bacta fluids still soaking in on her skin. All she was wearing was a submersible bodysuit, ones usually used for bacta tanks. Sybella wanted her robes back. And her lightsabers.

‘Suppose it doesn’t really matter what I do now…’ With a sigh of resignation, the woman stood once more and collected a handheld console unit that had come off the person of one of the guards. The screen was cracked, causing images to glitch and flicker but after some fiddling Sybella managed to see a geographical schematic; parts of the prison were on lockdown. Others completely out of service, with no system response. Looking at her now shattered tank, Sybella turned and started down the hallway the Wookie had chosen.

The only trace of her left were some bloodied footprints, slowly getting absorbed into an ever growing pool of bacta fluids.

 

[Kotii Solus]

Spoiler: Music

Despite the clean state of the prison, even the un-polluted air had a stale taste to it. The uniform Kotii wore as a disguise was slightly musky after having been worn and worked countless times and was now adding the echani offshoots perspiration to its fibers. The man’s tinted firefighting helmet kept the smoke from entering his lungs but it did not matter how many times the Rock filtered its air, the entire place smelled utterly rank to the Mandalorian despite the pragmatically dull and clean hallways. Part of him wondered if the negativity from all the trapped souls had made this place have a dark connection to the Dark Side, or perhaps it was something else. Whatever it was, the badger would not be idle for a moment and focus on getting Sybella and his team free of this prison.

Sweat and blood was evaporating in the heat and rising through parts of the prison. Kotii witnessed the commotion both on his commlink and with his naked eyes as guards rushed to reinforce corridors in riot gear. The guard escorting them had plans to keep them safe but Vyr took the chance to disable him. Kotii appreciated the thought but the two Mandalorians could take care of themselves, with or without their Beskar’gam.

So far everything was going to plan, more or less. Black Hand plucked the code cylinder tossed to him out of the air and looked down the hall, making sure nobody had seen the violent act or what would follow. The coast looked clear to the badger and he covered Vyr while he checked the guards body and removed anything of use.

<“Grab his stun glowstick and his commlink”> He suggested to Vyr with an added jut of his chin. The guards were not heavily armed unless outfitted from the armory but an extra weapon could come in handy. There was a chance they were going to have to fight through some prisoners too to get to the Sybella.

Opening any blocked doors, the two disguised infiltrators would hurriedly make their way towards the detainment rooms holding stasis. The Mandalorian duo noticed the wetsuit wearing and bacta dripping prisoners running to safety, leading the two of them to head in the opposite direction. One imposing prisoner was a wookiee which Kotii moved aside for and was glad to not be crossing paths with a madclaw.

Kotii rounded a corner and came into view of the room with broken tanks. Injured prison staff and appliances alike were scattered on the ground but Sybella was standing outside of her former confinement in a similar outfit to the other escapees. Remembering his own appearance, Kotii took point and was first into the room. “Knight Demici, it’s Kotii Solus, Black Hand.” He kept his hands and arms up and to either side. The dar’manda was still wearing his disguise and he doubted the Jedi would recognize him immediately. He was not looking to get telekinetically hurled across the room by the person he had come to rescue. “We were sent to rescue you. We should get out of here.” His head jerked in the direction from whence he came which was emphasized with distance sounds of Gralkar pummeling some unfortunate target.

@HoneyMagpie @DMCK

 

[Vyr Zenos]

Vyr took the stun baton and comlink from the guard’s unconscious body. Not an ideal weapon, but it would suffice. He followed Kotii, as they navigated through the damaged prison.

Spotting prisoners running desperately through a corridor, garbed in wetsuits, it now appeared they were closing in on their target. Whilst he didn’t feel threatened, that soon changed when the large figure of a Wookie approached them. Vyr stepped to the side and slightly raised his hands, indicating that he was not a threat. Fortunately, the Wookie moved on.

Stepping into the corridor outside the containment room, he spotted the row of broken tanks. Stood outside the room was a woman in the same style of wetsuit that the fleeing prisoners had been wearing. She looked groggy. He opted to remain behind as Kotii engaged with the prisoner. Rather him than me. The prisoner was the Jedi they were looking for. He raised his hands, indicating that he didn’t want any trouble.

@HoneyMagpie @Darasuum

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Tiamat's eyebrows rose as she watched the rioting unfold and opted for a different route, it would be inconvenient, but a better option. It took her past a guard who was knocked unconscious, several prisoners looking to join in the chaos and in particular wet suits seemed to fly pass her as they appeared to be focused on something more important. Though for Tiamat, something else was going become more important as she overheard speaking, mentioning Demici and to rescue her. The woman rolled her eyes as she cautiously walked forward, each step quiet, subtle, a master of the shadows that offered her strength.

They were dressed as firefighters, but Tiamat did not care as the darkside fell heavily in the room, the broken shards of glass from the shattered tanks rose from the floor and flew at the three of them. With the two "firefighters" having their backs turned to the Sith woman and one drugged up Jedi, the odds looked in favor for her to spill their blood first. She grasped her saber, continuing to approach the trio, feeding off the fears and even death that now plagued this falling prison; whether the glass shards impacted their ability to fight back, Tiamat didn't waste time to finish them off. Ready for any attempts from them, she would grasp the firefighter (@Vyr) in a constricting grip and throw him into the other firefighter closest to the Jedi woman.

@HoneyMagpie @Darasuum @DMCK

 

[Sybella Demici]

At first glance, Sybella rued over the firefighters and their arrivals. Believing they would hinder her escape, her reluctantly raised her hand and was ready to repel them back. That is until one of them spoke, his gravel-like voice ever so familiar. The flurry of words that followed confirmed his identify.

“Solus?” She blinked, holding her head as she recalled their previous escapades.“Yes, I remember…”

They had worked with one another, saving a youngling and several other wookies from horrible Trandoshan hunters. The Black Hand had mentioned something else - something about a rescue? Looking at the man accompanying him, also dressed in fightfigher attire, Sybella could only assume he was a Mandalorian as well. If not that, then perhaps a mercenary or bounty hunter.

“My lightsabers…” A rather audacious priority, yes. “Can we retrieve them?”

That thought was soon abandoned however when a new presence appeared. A sudden surge of malevolence washed over her, unmistakably emanating from the approaching stranger. With the last of Sybella’s haze quickly vanishing, she became ever more aware of the Force and its warning; this person, this walking persona of darkness, was a threat.

It was soon proven true when shards of glass flew at them at daggers.

“Watch out!”

Instinctively, Sybella reacted, willing the Force to create an ethereal shield that enveloped herself and others; it did well, deflecting the barrage of shards. When the dark sider made their second assault, the kohl eyed woman matched it, collapsing her shield of energy down into a concentrated ball of pressure. Pushing it forth, the Force itself moved like a wave, crashing forward into the shadow-clad stranger. It would push them back and gain the trio some distance. With her fists clenched, Sybella yet again mulled over her missing lightsabers, not that her skills in combat and the Force were lacking - they would just be handy, especially in a situation such as this.

Stepping back a couple of paces, the Serennian would pick up a discharged blaster rifle from one of the unconscious guards. Not exactly her weapon of choice, but a weapon none the less. Still, tendrils of the Force reached out and coiled about the various debris and rubble. Sybella would launch them without warning should the dark sider move against them once again.

“Kotii, are you and your friend alright? I take it they’re not part of the rescue…” Staring the masked stranger down, Sybella asked only one thing, not that she expected much of an answer. “Who are you?” @Tiamat

 

[Kotii Solus]

Kotii’s relaxed when he saw the convincing expression of Sybella pierced through her confusion. He unfastened the collar of his uniform but before the woman got the wrong idea she would see a few of the weapons the Mandalorian had snuck into the prison. Kotii was willing to offer her one to tide her over until they reached the armory.

The man had anticipated the chance Sybella would defend herself with her jedi magick however he was still a bit surprised when the shards of glass began to move and fly towards them at high speed. The Badger balled his left hand into a fist while the rest of his cybernetic left arm moved in front of his head and neck, his most vital area. The glass shards would be avoided thanks to the Jedi’s telekinetic efforts. But if not by that, then the armorweave would stop the shards from imbedding themselves in the Mandalorian's flesh or damaging any of his equipment beyond superficial scratching.

Not waiting for the same thing to happen again or something worse and hearing the snap hiss of a lightsaber behind him, the man was a blur of motion. He would draw one of his previously holstered ATA pulsewave pistols with his left hand while his right pulled a stun gas grenade from inside his disguise. His legs were likewise in motion allowing him to dive over a wide four foot high couch sized terminal that was probably previously used for monitoring inmate vitals. Now it would act as cover to obstruct the attacker’s line of sight on Kotii. This maneuver would also help the Solus avoid getting hit by a flying Vyr if the woman was not interrupted in her force throw.

The Dar’manda’s set his stun gas grenade to trigger on impact but held it in hand and waited. Red lightsaber, not Jedi, dar'jetii he had seen it out of the corner of his eye and that was all he needed to know. “Remember Wassakh? Trando camp.” He shouted to Sybella from cover, hoping that he was both not distracting her and also giving her a head’s up for what he planned next.

@GABA @HoneyMagpie @DMCK

 

[Vyr Zenos]

Vyr was glad that the Jedi recognised Kotii. Fighting a force user was something he would rather avoid, unless he had preparation.

Just as the Jedi was talking about retrieving her lightsabers, the three of them were interrupted. He turned slightly and saw a masked figure.
Fortunately, the Jedi was able to deflect the shards of glass. He had crouched down and shielded his neck and torso with his arms, as a precaution. Unfortunately, he was helpless to resist as the force coiled around him and lifted him off the ground. Whether the attack was successful or interrupted, Vyr would end up crashing to the floor with a hard thud. He dropped the stun baton he had been carrying.

Reacting quickly, he spotted the terminal that Kotii had taken cover behind. He quickly stood up and ran towards it, vaulting over it and into the cover it provided. Unclipping the canister from his back and dropping it next to him, he opened up a hidden compartment in the canister as quickly as he could. He pulled his two WESTAR-35 blasters from the compartment. “I’ve got my wrist gauntlets on, under this uniform. They could be helpful,” he quietly mentioned to Kotii over their comms.

@HoneyMagpie @Darasuum @GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

For someone who remained in a drug-induced stasis for an extended amount of time, Sybella was exerting herself rather quickly with her Force-extended shielding to protect herself and the two not!firefighters. The glass quickly fell upon the barrier, striking the shield and saving them from a thousand painful cuts. The jedi woman pulsed the shield outward and Tiamat grounded her footing to withstand the wash of energy that roll through her, but it wouldn't slow her pace. The two not!firefighters seemed to scramble for cover, but not before one was thrown from his spot, but quickly sought shelter behind the terminal to where the other was hiding.

As Sybella reached for the rifle, she would feel a tickle in her mind, it would grow more apparent, invasive and uncomfortable as the dark side fogged her thoughts and begun to claw and rake deeper if she didn't push back on the attack. It would be difficult for her to focus on aiming anything at the dark woman if she fought to keep Tiamat from inside her mind. The objects Sybella she would manage to throw in Tiamat's direction were easily evaded, loud clinking behind the dark figure was barely an echo above the alarms and explosions from the fires on other levels. The questions the Jedi would ask, would certainly not be answered by Tiamat., because if she were interested in chit chat, it would certainly not be from the washed up Jedi.

Though while Tiamat sunk her dark fingers into the Jedi's mind, she remained cautious of the other two not!firefighters that remained hiding.

@HoneyMagpie @Darasuum @DMCK

 

[Kotii Solus]

Rising from behind cover, Kotii stood quickly with his pistol arm extending to center his aim on the Sith. The Hunter fired twice when she was just within ten meters of his companions and him. He fired once at each of the woman’s calves. Two bolts of energy would fly towards the woman’s lower limbs and cause heavy damage if not defended. In the event the attacker would deflect his bolts, the archaic and arguably inferior design of his pistol would cause the bolts to lose cohesion resulting in only light damage by the time it was fully returned.

The stun gas grenade in the Dar’manda’s right hand was held out of sight of the Sith and behind Kotii's back making him almost strike a sport-shooting pose for a moment. But the gloved right hand would release the grenade as he pulled the trigger, allowing the device to fall, triggering on impact behind the Mandalorian’s own heels. The PL-50 stun grenade had a ‘blast’ diameter of twenty four meters or a radius of twelve meters. The substance from the grenade would spew out instantaneously and fill the whole chamber with transparent mist like gas that would not entirely obscure visual range.

Unless the dark-sider wished to risk breathing in the stunning effects of the gas she would have to fall back or think of something clever. Unfortunately this was also the case for Sybella who could suffer the same effects which was why Black Hand had tried to give her a head’s up. The two Mandalorians had filters incorporated into their disguises, saving them from the grenade's affects.

@GABA @DMCK @HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

The dark sider didn’t seem interested in idle chit-chat. Sith Sybella had previously fought were far more vocal and from their words, intent and motive could be found. In staying silent, the stranger remained an ever frustrating mystery - perhaps it was for the best. With a huff of vexation, the disgraced Jedi knight would inwardly curse at the sluggishness caused by her sedation; the effects were waning but not nearly fast enough. Adrenaline, though helpful, was temporary at best. She needed more time to collect herself. An opportunity to gain back some harmony and balance.

However, stubborn as ever, Sybella was determined to put up a fight…that is until yet another haze hit. It was almost enough to buckle her at her knees, but she locked them instead and the effort needed to do so made her grit her teeth. This sensation was familiar to her, yet oddly different. It wasn’t an assault on the body, she realised, but rather on the mind.

Realising it for what it was, she gnashed her teeth once more and, with one hand off her weapon, grasped harshly at the side of her head.“Get out! Get out of my head!”

It was bad enough dealing with prolonged exposure to Lujayn’s essence, Sybella would be damned if she allowed further infectious influence to sink itself in. In trying to fend off the maliciousness that was her ancestor, the knight had spent much time between missions in strengthening her mental fortitude. It had, after all, be the area of weakness previously exploited. Thick, protective walls slowly encased her psyche, pushing back against the tendrils and their darkness. She was sick of it, of others messing with her mind. Having lost so much already, it was one of the few things Sybella was determined to defend.

Admittedly, it was much more difficult than prior experiences; the stranger was much different to Lujayn - there was a malevolence to her that ran deeper and darker. It took much focus to finally push her out and even then Sybella suspected that wasn’t the full extent the dark sider could muster. In a sickening twist of irony, the Demici actually longed for the spectre and her disturbing presence; in situations like this, Lujayn acted in defence of her host. But perhaps it best for her remain dormant. One less distraction, in the face of mounting danger.

With a hiss of breath, she caught the words of Kotii. Wassakh? Yes, she remembered. And with that in mind, she took a quick breath and tumbled further back, as far as she could roll moments before the badger enacted his plan. She escaped the cloud and its stunning effect just in time but for added measure, she waited and held onto her vital air. Not feeling any effects, she moved similarly for cover (ironically, an overturned tank), not far from her would be rescuers.

Looking to them and then over in the direction of their adversary, Sybella readied herself for what came next.

Spoiler

Typing on iPad, editing and formatting might be off

 

[Vyr Zenos]

Vyr rose from behind the terminal and fired off a couple of shots at Tiamat, at the same time that Kotii fired his shots at her. Vyr unleashed two shots at her torso. He quickly ducked back down into cover, once the shots were fired.

Soon after, Kotii’s stun gas grenade detonated. Due to the helmet Vyr was wearing, he was safe from the effects of the gas.

There were many different force users throughout the galaxy. They belonged to various different factions. Why this one seemed so interested in the Jedi prisoner was unclear. Maybe they were a Sith.

Whilst he enjoyed a challenge, Vyr wasn’t enthused about fighting a force user without any chance to have prepared.
“Let’s not drag this fight out. We’ve got what we came for,” he said to Kotii, over their comms.

@HoneyMagpie @Darasuum @GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

With Sybella focused on pushing on the dark woman from her mind, it would leave little resistance for her to be swiftly pulled to the dark woman by the Force and into the path of the blaster bolts from the faux firefighters as they each had popped up from behind the terminal. The four shots, two meant for her center and the other two meant for her legs, would be graciously accepted by the Jedi as she was purposely used as a shield. The hissing from the cannister alerted the woman to something amiss and she wasn't curious enough to find out.

A grasp still on the Jedi woman, Tiamat shoved her saber upwards into the Jedi's chest cavity before throwing Sybella's body into the Mandalorians. Though if she some how managed to avoid the saber uppercut, the throw would send her straight into the men who were trying to rescue her and into the haze of the stun grenade.

Tiamat quickly retreated her steps, the fumes filling the chamber as she knew she needed to avoid being present. Her saber still held steady and readied, but her pace quickened as she exited from the prisoner stasis chambers. It would give her enough space to avoid feeling the full effects of the stun grenade's potent gas.

@HoneyMagpie @Darasuum @DMCK