Open Stars of Umbara: Recruitment Efforts!

[Zorya]

Starlight glistened against the spaceship's gleaming hull as it slipped through the fringes of the galaxy, a comet against the interstellar night. Zorya stood resolute and silent at the helm, her eyes reflecting the vast expanse of the cosmos. Her thoughts, hidden behind her stern countenance, were a churning nebula of contemplation and resolve. Her mission to find new acolytes for the reborn Sith Academy was an endeavor of vital importance, and she accepted it with a stoic sense of responsibility.

From her shoulder, O'bog trilled and flitted around her head, breaking the silent reverie. "Arr, look at ye, Zorya, starin' out into the black as if ye'll find yer new students floatin' amongst the cosmic rubble!" His speech was a mirthful brogue, laden with mischief.

His verdant eyes twinkled as he zipped around the control panel, occasionally flicking a switch or spinning a dial, creating a symphony of beeps and whirs. "Wouldn't that be a sight, to pluck 'em from the void? Would save us this blasted trip, it would!"

Zorya listened to O'bog's chattering with an air of tolerant amusement, his flippant bravado providing a light contrast to the weight of their task. The Ximpi's irreverence, his defiance in the face of peril, was a welcome paradox. Despite the silence that shrouded her, the pixie’s garrulous demeanor gave voice to her unspoken emotions and thoughts.

The intoxicating scent of space-fuel hung heavy in the cockpit, stinging Zorya's nostrils and filling her with a sense of heady anticipation. She could almost taste the metallic tang of new horizons and the musky promise of future battles. It was the silence before the storm, a prelude to the melody of the Sith's resurgence.

Beneath her fingertips, the ship's controls were cold and unyielding, a reflection of her own unwavering resolve. She looked out onto the cosmic sea once more, she was a shadow in the night. And the galaxy would soon remember the power of the Sith.

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar hadn't quite determined whether his new companions liked him or wanted to throttle him, but ultimately, he wasn't sure he entirely cared. There was no true friendship among the Sith, and the fact that they were allies with a common goal was enough for him for now. The regrowth of the Sith.

The Umbara academy would be a part of that, and as it turned out if he was going to be involved in it, he had a plan to stick his fingers in all of it. The recruitment process was no exception. To that end, he had joined his new partners on the process of collecting students. His trip to this point had been spent analyzing data about potential places that they could find Acolytes who had fled.

Most had been smart enough to get out of Imperial space, but most seemed as if they had struggled to make it far.

Dare I suggest some of the old haunts? he asked. The Empire abandoned the Twin Worlds, Ziost, and Kaas, and the Order's been smart enough to avoid going back there, but that just means there might be old students still in hiding there, he said. They could swap out their ID transponders, slip in, and hopefully grab some students before getting out. Stealth mission, just like the Umbara academy's old days.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

O'bog squinted at Kaldar, his face puckered into a grin that was as sly as it was mischievous. "Well now, ain't that a familiar tune," he cackled, reminding them of how they had met him, a shadow amongst the ruins of the Umbara Sith Academy. "Maybe your fancy ideas ain't half bad, lad. Worked out last time, didn't it?"

Even though Zorya did not vocalize her thoughts, the gears in her mind were already considering the merits of Kaldar's proposal. Korriban, steeped in ancient Sith traditions, was a cradle of dark energy that beckoned to their Sith heritage. Moraband, desolate and forgotten, was a perfect hiding place for potential acolytes. Ziost, once a seat of Imperial power, held potential recruits who still adhered to the Sith doctrine. And Dromund Kaas, with its dense jungles and dark temples, was a playground for the resourceful and the brave. However, the Empire's ever-watchful gaze was a knot in that plan, a whisper of potential danger that she could not dismiss.

Interrupting her introspection, O'bog piped up with a plan of his own. "Or, we could pay a visit to the slave worlds, eh? Cheaper by the dozen, them acolytes! And, have ye seen the beautiful Twi'leks there?" His voice trailed off, a lascivious drool beginning to dribble down his chin. Zorya, sensing the Ximpi's rising desire, shooed him away with an air of dismissive contempt.

Without uttering a word, she gestured decisively at Kal, her silence louder than any words. O'bog's outrageousness was a necessary counterpoint to their mission's weighty gravitas, but it was Kal's strategic planning that gained her approval. Her hand darted towards the console, fingertips dancing over the coordinates. Dromund Kaas, with its bustling population, was the least conspicuous starting point.

As the ship began its sequence to hyperspace, Zorya's thoughts were already spiraling toward the challenges that awaited them. The stars outside the viewport blurred into streaks of white as the vessel made its leap across the cosmos, plunging them into the first stop on their adventure.

@Phoenix

//Other Sith, feel free to join at any time. The same thing goes for any imperials who might wish to oppose us.

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar opened his hands up and inclined his head in a modest "I do what I can" motion when O'bog commented about his prior successes. In truth, Kaldar loved praise, but he was always wary of it because it seldom came without something below the surface. Paranoia had been bred into him from his earliest memories, and it wasn't something that he could quickly unlearn.

As tempting as that sounds, I doubt we'll find many Force-users there, he said. That being said, he also wouldn't have been surprised if they could have picked up someone there who was a Force-user. Who better to rise through the ranks of the arena than someone who had the Force?

But he supposed the odds were much better that they find useful people on the Sith worlds than in the fighting pits.

Zorya gave him a gesture that seemed to indicate she agreed, and he made a note to himself that he needed to watch her more closely. Try to gain a better sense of her body language. It was a potential diversion the two of them had: O'bog plays the noisy one and Zorya moves in an almost-forgotten way. But he had a feeling that there was a great deal to learn from the woman's posture and stance.

Kaas it is, then, he said. The familiar shudder of a ship jumping to hyperspace rippled beneath his feet and he slid into the navigator's seat, pulling up information on the planet.

Kaas City'll be our best bet. It's busy and easier to blend in, he said, chewing his lip in thought for a moment.

It'll also probably have ISB or IAF troops watching it. You have anything on this ship to rewrite ID chits or anything? he asked, though he wasn't holding his breath.

Either way, we should sort out a cover for what we're doing here if people ask, he said. Though he was confident he could come up with some lies, if they were questioned separately, they needed to be on the same page.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

A coy grin spread across O'bog's face, his pixie-like features softening. "Been to Kaas City before, have ye?" he queried Kal, eyes glinting with curiosity. Zorya, though silent, shared O'bog's sentiment. Kaas City, the bustling heart of Drommund Kaas, was a mystery to her. The churning tumult of the metropolis intrigued her, the sea of faces offering anonymity and concealment.

Caught amidst her musings, the mention of rewriting ID chits broke through her contemplation. O'bog blinked in confusion, his creased forehead marking his befuddlement. "Chit-whatsit now, lad?" he stammered. His boisterous confidence faltered, replaced by a befuddled expression that echoed Zorya's internal apprehension. The prospect of venturing unprepared into a hotbed of Imperial activity unnerved her.

Swiftly recovering, O'bog soon spun a grand tale of their supposed identities. "Why, we could be galactic nobles, something like second cousins of the Queen of Naboo!" he declared, puffing his chest out. Zorya's wordless chastisement caused him to deflate. Overacting, as O'bog often did, would not serve them well in the high-stakes game they were about to play.

With a chastened O'bog perched on her shoulder, Zorya commanded him to suggest a more plausible guise. "Or we could pass for university recruiters. Commonplace, dull, and utterly unremarkable," he grumbled. "Unless you've got something more exciting up your sleeve, Kaldar?" O'bog's quip was a playful challenge to Kaldar's strategic acumen.

Sensing the tug of the hyperspace jump nearing its end, a familiar shudder reverberating through the ship, Zorya reached for the safety straps. She pointedly nudged O'bog, the silent command clear - it was time to buckle up. As the ship prepared to drop out of hyperspace.

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

Here and there, he said. It had been during his early days of training that his master had run him through "games" here. Games of following people, stealing from people, and manipulating people, often to perilous and terrible ends. Simply - you guessed it - because they could. "It's practice. they should be honored to sacrifice for the greater good of Sith betterment," his master had said. Kaldar didn't lose sleep over it anymore. Everyone had their role to play in the galaxy, and for many people, that role was to be ground under the heels of their betters.

Well, that sounded like a decisive "no" on the ID chits, but that was... fine. Probably.

Kaldar snapped his fingers and pointed at O'bog as he suggested something dull and commonplace. That's the one, he said. He knew that the Ximpi wouldn't enjoy that, but he knew that that was the best bet for how to get be unnoticed.

Archivists from Obroa-skai looking to recruit some new students, he said with a nod.

With their ship dropping out of hyperspace, there wasn't much more time to discuss the plan, and he turned his attention to the docking bay that popped up on their scanners that they were being directed to. No one had any real reason to suspect them, after all, and he didn't plan to give them one.

Docking bay 25 was in a very average area of town. Not far away from the main government buildings, it was - like the rest of the planet - being pelted by rain with lightning storms flashing over head.

Kaldar grabbed his cloak and threw the hood up, though in this case it was purely about protecting himself from the overhead rain rather than about looking edgy. Local security offices were likely to be the place they might get noticed (though unlikely still) but also served the best chance for picking up leads about people who didn't belong.

@Aberforth

 

[Armaj Branthom]

Armaj was feeling the noose tighten around his neck. Speaking positively about the now ended Era of the Sith Empire could get one thrown in prison. Holding onto and studying sith artifacts was an act punishable by death. Though the Empire had turned on the Sith, the Sith teachings and traditions were still very much a part of Imperial life. The judicial forces were ruthless, the knights were relentless, and their sympathy was non existent.

Armaj was a known and very vocal proponent of the Sith regime, and an avid defender of what was now known as "war crimes". Outwardly he had changed his tone to writing some of the new propaganda for the Empire and it's new direction.

... but for the Sith... his service was known amongst what few survived...

He had been an avid student and archivist of ancient Sith artifacts. He had assisted in hiding many during the schism. Armaj saw little benefit in the direction the Empire was going, and secretly believed the Sith may still be in charge in hiding.

These thoughts he could speak to no one. But his loyalty was true to the future that they promised.

Armaj remained in his office. On his staff now remained only droids, as he no longer trusted his servants. His skin was more pale from not venturing out as much as he previously did. He worked in general silence in a back room, researching one of the many artifacts he had collected and saved, hoping another day would pass where he would not be discovered.

@Phoenix @Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

The Red Maiden, Zorya's ship, descended smoothly into Docking Bay 25 amidst the perpetual tempest that was the city's weather. The vessel bore a defiant elegance, akin to Zorya herself, its armor gleaming under the barrage of rain and lightning. Docked securely, the sleek silhouette of the Red Maiden contrasted starkly against the dreary Kaas cityscape.

Before vacating the ship, Zorya engaged in a hushed conversation with Kaldar. Her dark eyes were intense, reflecting the gravity of their mission. O'bog translated her silent words with all due seriousness, a stark contrast to his usual flippant banter. "If things go pear-shaped, we meet back at the academy. Ye ain't there in three days, we'll come fer ya."

As they prepared to disembark, Zorya conceded the lead to Kaldar. Nodding slightly, her agreement was silent but explicit. Dressed in a blend of traditional Yacombe and stealth attire, she wore a hooded cowl and black mask that accentuated her steady gaze, a crimson shawl draped over her form like a mantle. She emanated an aura of quiet strength.

The security offices, nestled among the city's monoliths, held an austere ambiance. The lobby was awash in a pallid glow, casting long shadows that danced on the glossy floor. The waiting area was filled with an array of individuals, their faces a spectrum of emotions, from resignation to defiance.

A particularly disruptive detainee, his bound wrists struggling against the relentless grip of an armored officer, was being led to an unseen chamber in the back, his curses echoing off the sterile walls. The scene invoked a twinge of unease in Zorya, an echo of the oppression she'd endured, swiftly buried beneath a veneer of calm.

Their arrival did not go unnoticed. A stout security officer at the entrance desk fixed them with a contemptuous gaze. His eyes, the color of chilled steel, held an undeniable arrogance. "State your business," he demanded, his tone reeking of undisguised disdain. Despite the brusque reception, Zorya remained unperturbed, leaving the response to Kaldar. She stood silently, her stance conveying confident patience.

@Phoenix @Morse

 

[Kaldar]

Agreed, Kaldar said, noting the way the words changed. Despite coming from O'bog's mouth, it was Zorya's deadly serious gaze that drew the Sith's attention. He wondered if they would actually come for him or if they were just pretty lies.

Not that he had any intention of finding out whether or not their words were true. You can only count on yourself, the words of his master came unbidden into his mind. Yes, you can. And you relied too much on me, you old fool, he responded to the voice inside his head. It had cost him his life.

They made it into the security offices, and the duo ceded him the lead, which was just fine with him. He put on his best tourist face and headed for the counter.

Excuse me. Hi, I'm sorry to bother you, it's just... well, my friends and I saw someone down in the shopping district pushing people around, extorting them for money, and... he paused for dramatic effect, leaning in closer as if he didn't want anyone to hear what he said next ...when he was roughing someone up, we thought we saw a lightsaber on his hip, he said, giving a feigned wince as he said it to really underline his discomfort.

Do you... get a lot of that kind of thing around here anymore? he asked, nudging the man's mind with the Force ever-so-slightly to make him more agreeable to sharing.

It was partially successful.

We get reports about Sith constantly. How many times do I have to tell you people: we haven't seen any of their kind around here since the Imperial Knights went into the jungle to chase them deeper in, he grumbled angrily.

Now get out before I have you thrown out for false reports, he said, pointing toward the door and raising his voice so that a few others glanced around at what was causing the ruckus.

On the bright side, they had a lead but on the downside, they had drawn more attention than he would have liked.

As it turned out, the failed pursuits by the Imperial Knights spoke to the cunning and caution of their acolytes in question. With any luck, the Sith would have better luck.

Roll: 12/20 for getting information @Aberforth @Morse

 

[Zorya]

Zorya, concealed beneath her hooded cowl, watched as Kaldar spun a tale with the security officer. As the conversation unfolded, a flicker of astonishment lit her eyes. Kaldar's subterfuge, as brazen as it was, had proved unexpectedly effective. They had a lead, albeit an insubstantial one. The erstwhile presence of Sith in the jungle, noted in the officer's churlish discourse, offered them a direction, if not an explicit path.

Her gaze slid to O'bog, an unvoiced thought passed between them. A nebulous plan formed in her mind: sending the Ximpi on a reconnaissance mission within the confines of the security office. However, her keen instincts detected the heightened scrutiny of their surroundings. The security detail was too vigilant, the risk too high.

O'bog fluttered anxiously, his garrulous protestations murmuring softly in her ear. "Why not, ye scurvy..." he began, but a silent, resolute shake of Zorya's head quieted him. The security officer's gaze, previously laced with contempt, was now laced with suspicion. His icy stare followed them as they exited, a sure sign he'd likely report the encounter.

The rain had lightened as they stepped outside, the looming storm reduced to a tempestuous drizzle. Careful not to draw further attention, Zorya moved with practiced stealth, melding seamlessly into the thrum of city life.

The distant jungle, a serrated silhouette against the stormy sky, beckoned ominously. As they plotted a course, Zorya found herself at the precipice of uncertainty. The expanse was daunting, its unknown depths veiled by nature's relentless sprawl. A sigh whispered beneath her mask as she yearned for the elusive security reports. The precise locations of past Sith sightings could have given them a logical starting point.

INTERLUDE​

Their leader, a Bothan named Svarog, possessed a demeanor as jagged as the serrated peaks of his homeworld. With a steely gaze and a will of adamantine, he led his dwindling band of acolytes with a stubborn, unyielding resolve.

The once formidable group, now reduced to a mere quartet, found themselves ensnared in a ruthless survival game with Kaas City's untamed wilderness. The relentless onslaught of the jungle's apex predators had decimated their ranks. Every passing day was a battle against the voracious jaws of survival, the grim specter of mortality an uninvited guest to their desperate struggle.

Just this week, they had lost two of their own. Two lives snuffed out in the jaws of a savage Jurdoran, their screams echoing hauntingly amidst the trees long after their heartbeats had ceased. The remaining acolytes bore witness to the grim spectacle, their spirits further shattered by the remorseless brutality of their predicament.

Yet, despair was a luxury Svarog could ill afford. His face, hardened by battle and loss, showed no trace of falter. With a fervor that could only be forged in the crucible of adversity, he spurred his beleaguered acolytes forward. His voice, as grating as a rasp against steel, resonated through the oppressive silence of the jungle, a beacon of determination in the face of relentless calamity.

"No surrender. No retreat," he growled, his words echoing their Sith mantra. Desperation gnawed at their frayed nerves, yet, under Svarog's unyielding leadership, they stood resolute, defiant against the inevitability of their situation. Their unyielding faith in the Sith code, coupled with Svarog's indomitable spirit, would not allow them to submit. The jungle would take no more from them. They were Sith. And they would not be beaten.

@Phoenix @Morse

//Rolled an 8/20 for intelligence gathering.

 

[Armaj Branthom]

Of the many droids that were in the service of Armaj, one in particular was very important. This droid sat and monitored police channels. It was a clunky and old looking thing with a widget arm that processed the data rapidly. It took in the many reports from Kaas City, and was keyed off to look for specific signs. Data that noted a "false report" of someone talking about a Sith sighting would stand out. Data acknowledging it coming from a recently docked craft, that was something of note.

The droid buzzed, beeped, and whirred in such a way to get Armaj's attention. Armaj approached to read the report.

Though the Empire had changed, it was still very a police state. Those with the right access were hard to remove, as those that would remove them would have to worry about political reprisal. And though Armaj did not have the same standing as he did under the Sith regime, a propagandist was still a powerful force in the Empire.

This was a sign. Armaj had spent more time studying their mighty dark lords than most. Had he been an inquisitor for the Empire things might have been different, but he would not betray the Sith, no matter the price.

He took to his speeder and was driven out to the city, hopeful that he had either discovered Sith in hiding or perhaps like minded savants.

The place it took him was not as ideal as he'd hoped. Though the great Kaas city was wonderful and powerful, there were places that brought about the worst. Thieves, vandals, slyth mongers, and criminals of all sort still lingered about, and all the more now that the Sith were not in charge.

Armaj had a description of the two from the report and a vague image from a holocam, but not much more. Armed only with a pistol hidden beneath his cape he began to search for the reporters.

But his frantic and out of place nature made him the easiest of marks.

"A commissar?" Spoke a voice on the street behind him. "A commissar down from his tower?" spoke another.

"Citizens." Armaj addressed them. They were two large, brutish humans, that appeared to be former troopers. "I'm seeking a..."

"We're asking the questions today, Commissar." The first spoke. "Step in our office."

Armaj reached for the pistol, which was pulled from his hip as he was slugged into an alleyway.

As he was pushed, he realized perhaps he'd made a huge mistake.

@Phoenix @Aberforth

Roll: 31/100 for investigation to find the Sith

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar may not have been at home in the jungles or the wilds, but the city was where he thrived. As they left the security office and continued to suffer some scrutiny from the man at the front desk, Kaldar blended seamlessly into the surroundings of the street, plotting how to get their next move.

As they rounded a corner, Kaldar stopped at a caf shop, slipping inside and ordering himself a drink regardless of whether his companions wanted one or not. It served two purposes. Firstly, he wanted a cold brew. Secondly, no one was going to bat an eye at two people chatting while waiting for their caf.

"The jungles" on a planet of this size doesn't really narrow it down, he said, his voice even and while not a whisper, it was certainly not spoken loudly. He ground his teeth back and forth quietly as he thought.

But the fact that there are confirmed sightings means we're on the right track, he said. He wished he could have gotten more information about their location, but didn't feel like pressing his luck further in that situation. There was too much that could go wrong in a police station with an ornery desk sergeant.

Then his eyebrow quirked up in thought, eyes flicking back and forth between the pair of his companions.

You do telepathy, right? he said. In fact, he'd go so far as to say that she was far above the average for a Champion by simple necessity.

Can you reach out to them? Sure, you probably can't locate them, but even if you can tap one of their minds and let them know we're looking, he said. He didn't know if it would or could work, but the theory was sound. Or at least, Kaldar thought it was.

Unfortunately, Kaldar was oblivious to the plight of the agent, and even had he not been, he wasn't exactly the most compassionate person in the galaxy.

@Aberforth @Morse

 

[Zorya]

O'bog, perched atop Zorya's shoulder, gave a sharp look at Kaldar. "Yer a wily one, ain't ye? Struttin' round, orderin' yerself a drink and nary a care for me parched gob!" The Ximpi fluffed his feathers indignantly, his bright eyes glinting with a mischievous irritation. Zorya offered a faint twitch of amusement at the corner of her lips.

Zorya's attention turned to the enormity of their task, pondering the vast expanse of jungle. Her mind whirred, weighing the odds, sifting through possibilities. Surely, the beleaguered acolytes would have chosen a refuge significant in some way - an ancient Sith stronghold, perhaps, or a cave replete with Force-sensitive flora. She knew the jungle's harsh conditions would naturally limit the options.

O'bog guffawed at Kaldar's suggestion. "Ye be askin' for a marvel, boyo! Telepathy across leagues? Fer faces we've not seen? Yer full of blarney!" But Zorya's mind hummed with contemplation. Perhaps it wasn't as preposterous as it seemed.

Her mind reached out assisted by O'bog, psychic tendrils unfurling, traversing the mental ether. The crowd's mental chatter was a tumultuous ocean, yet she waded through, her training affording her focus amidst the cacophony. Her consciousness branched out, further and further, a feat of mental acrobatics that made her head pound and body shudder. It was like diving into a fathomless abyss, the pressure threatening to crush her.

Yet amidst the pressure, a beacon flickered. Another mind, sharp and seething with frustration, resonated in the void. The link was tenuous, hampered by the immense distance and their unfamiliarity, yet the Force was their bridge.

Svarog's consciousness, battered and fraught with conflict, was a maelstrom of raw sensation. The sensations of the jungle, the despair, the urgency, whirled around in his mind. He offered no clear coordinates, only a haunting sameness of the wilds. But from the whirlpool of his memories, a single lifeline was extended. An arboretum, nestled in the city's underbelly. A potential breadcrumb trail to follow.

Zorya abruptly severed the link, her body doubling over with the toll of the astral journey. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her dark eyes gleaming with a mixture of exhaustion and triumph. O'bog immediately took up the mantle of communicator, his voice quaking with an unusual seriousness.

"We've not a moment to lose, those acolytes are up to their necks in peril. Headed out from the arboretum, they initially did. We follow their ghostly footprints from there, we might just stumble upon 'em. So, get yer boots movin', ye layabout!" O'bog chirped.

Zorya could only nod, steadying herself for the daunting journey ahead.

@Phoenix @Morse

//Rolled a 16/20. I guess Zorya is Professor X now.

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar scowled at O'bog and his attempt to bum drinks off of him.

I assume you have your own money. One of you does, he said, glancing back to Zorya and seemingly reflecting all of O'bog's jugmental gaze directly on her. O'bog didn't look like he had pockets (and also a credit was probably the length of his whole torso) so he probably didn't have the money.

Kaldar only shrugged as O'bog pointed out that it was an unrealistic task. He wasn't so confident, but he knew he couldn't do it. Apparently, Zorya thought it wasn't so absurd either. He noted the small shift in her body weight as he mentioned it, and if that wasn't enough, the fact that she was doubling over moments later was a pretty good indicator that something was up.

Meanwhile, Kaldar sipped his caf and waved off a passerby. She gets episodes like this. It'll pass, don't worry, he said, waving his hand and impressing upon the civilian's mind that what he said was, in fact, true. He moved on.

And then O'bog was talking again, but this time less chipper.

Oh now it was a big rush. These acolytes had been trapped here for what? Months? Years now? They'd be fine for twenty more minutes. And frankly, if they bit the dust now, then it wasn't meant to be. Too weak or whatever.

So, Kaldar pulled out his datapad and started scrolling to the nearest arboretum location.

Yeah, I think I've got it, he said, taking another sip of his cold brew and starting to set out in that direction. His walk was brisk at least, but he certainly wasn't running.

See how useful I am to have around. Always helping you push your limits, he said, glancing back to Zorya. And you thought she couldn't do it, he said to O'bog, "tisking" as he did.

@Aberforth You can probably join us without needing to roll if you want @Morse

 

[Trael Osso]

Trael had come to Kaas city to fight in the arena something he did frequently in his free time. Though he was known as a good fighter he never would allow himself too high of a win streak working with the owner of the pits to rig losses for him every now and again. Today was no different with his duties as a sith slowing down he decided to come and keep his fighting skills in check.

Heading toward the arena he heard what sounded to be a scuffle in a nearby alleyway. Peeking down it he saw two large men beating on someone though he would normally stay out of a scuffle he was in the mood for some blood.

A punch goes to come in for the man gets interrupted by a shout from behind. “You must be some big men to fight someone so much weaker than you. Why don’t you leave him alone and we all go out separate ways?” This didn’t discourage the men in the slightest in fact it made them beat the man harder. Sighing Trael cracks his knuckles and pulls the shoulder of one of the men expecting to get a easy hit in, yet was stunned and pushed back when he was the one getting hit and by a brutal combination at that. Getting in a fighting stance he smirks under his helmet happy it wasn’t an easy task after all.

@Morse

 

[Zorya]

"Come along then, ye slinkin' laggard!" O'bog declared, his words directed at Kaldar, but his beady eyes locked on Zorya. His wings fluttered with impatience, casting a shimmering sheen over his diminutive figure. The Champion, her countenance veiled behind an inscrutable mask of resolve, offered no audible response. Instead, her actions spoke. With the graceful menace of a panther, she pivoted, her ebony-hued robes billowing in the squalid city wind, before setting off on Kaldar's heels.

The hustle and bustle of the urban morass were gradually replaced by the relative tranquillity of the arboretum. Swathed in a verdant sea of foliage, the urban park's lush verdancy was like a salve on Zorya's sensory-overloaded psyche. The air was humid, teeming with the moist breath of the jungle that lay on the periphery. The scent of dampened soil, untamed vegetation, and the subtly intoxicating aroma of alien blossoms filled their senses. Zorya's eyes scanned the treeline, its twisted and knotted forms standing like silent sentinels in the encroaching dusk.

"Venturin' into the thick of it, are we?" O'bog quipped, his irises gleaming with a puckish light. Zorya, already striding towards the looming emerald silhouette of the jungle, neither affirmed nor denied.

Once under the canopy's shadow, the relentless cacophony of the city gave way to the orchestral symphony of a thousand unseen denizens. Zorya's keen eyes roamed the forest floor, looking for any sign of the acolytes. Broken branches, discarded food wrappings, or even the subtle indentations on the ground left by weighted footsteps - anything that could guide them further.

As the minutes stretched into what felt like hours, Zorya turned to Kaldar, her crimson eyes glinting under the speckled sunlight filtering through the leafy ceiling above. O'bog swooped down from his perch on Zorya's shoulder, hovering in front of the man.

"Fancy yourself the tracker, lad?" he asked, a hint of doubt underscoring his rough tone. Zorya's eyes remained focused on him, her silent question echoing in his direction.

@Phoenix

 

[Armaj Branthom]

The beating had been more than Armaj expected when he woke up that morning. He was typically more cautious than he had been, but it was hard to be cautious in the current days. The Empire was decaying without the Sith, rotting from their severed link from a leader bathed in the darkside of the force. And now that the order was disrupted even someone such as himself could get pulled away and pummeled without someone saying so much as a word.

Armaj was a strong willed man, but not a strong man physically. His determination left him feeling low. Lower than he had in some time. He had thought he might be able to find someone to help him piece back together purpose and something more than just spreading lies he no longer believed in.

As the beating continued he lost sight of his mind, and muttered out a prayer... a dark prayer... one that his family had known and he had read on many Sith inscriptions he had studied.

"Has'raeth ul talna a tay!" He pled openly. The words of the ancient Sith were lost to many, and entirely unknowable to anyone that had not studied them before. "Serve the dark, and you are saved."

This did not stop the beating, as the next blow hit him well enough to wind him. But as he looked up he found a dark figure standing there.

A savior clad in dark colors... it was fate... it was the will of those ancient texts.

"My deliverance." he muttered.

Armaj, pulled himself away from the man holding him, the one that had taken his pistol. He grappled with him, untrained and scarcely capable, attempting to take the pistol back.

@Phoenix @Javier esschoolbus @Aberforth

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar had absolutely gulped down his drink within minutes as he always did, tossing the empty cup into a receptacle as they passed by and into the arboretum. He had to pay the acolytes some credit, they had actually managed to find somewhere cunning to hide. It was out of the way of unwanted eyes, but close enough to give them access to what they might need in the city. They had survived this long, which meant they weren't total morons either.

I'm more of a city person, he said, which was true. Give him a city to navigate or people to deal with and he was at home. Put him in a jungle or forest and he was about one step away from being useless. He needed to get himself a probe droid or something.

But they hadn't come this far for nothing, so he was determined to figure it out. Because while he may not have been any good at tracking, he was clever. At least sometimes he was.

They're in danger, you said, he repeated, letting his mind reach out. He may not be able to track footsteps or broken branches, but he knew something about fear and anger. These were emotions that punctuated his earliest memories, and now they called to him like a lover.

There was no one else out here but them. There were no emotions out here, so he reached out beyond himself and Zorya and honed in on - not the presence in the Force - but on the only source of feeling within these trees.

His head snapped around to the side, and he looked into the jungle with intensity.

This way, he said, and started heading off in the direction from which he sensed the fear.

His hand fought the urge to reach down for his lightsaber. He knew they were rushing into danger, he just didn't know what kind, and drawing that weapon - even out here - was risky.

Sure enough, it was a jurgoran that hunted the acolytes, and Kaldar did not look thrilled when he saw it through the leaves.

@Aberforth

 

[Trael Osso]

Though Trael would've preferred to brawl with the man in front of him the one sided struggle between the other two seemed more dire than his desire for a good fight. The man more of a brawler than fighter tried to take a big swing. The sith using the opening throws one of his repulsor daggers at the thug in the struggle. The blade hits him in the leg causing him to let go of the blaster and reach for the blade.

Focusing on the other fight would back fire as his opponent would go for a chokehold on him. Trying to get free but failing and not wanting to use the force and blow his cover he decides to just end the fight. Wanting to just end the fight now and just wishing for blood he pulls out his other blade slicing the mans arm open before turning and disemboweling him. He then stabs him through the neck to finish him quickly he turns to watch to see if the other man can finish his fight. Not wanting to save someone useless he intends not to intervene anymore as it should've been made an even fight.

@Morse

 

[Zorya]

"By the trickster's tail, this be a bleedin' nightmare," O'bog lamented as they traipsed through the verdant labyrinth. His ire was palpable, painting each word with rancor. His disdain for the sprawling flora that ensnared them, the myriad unseen fauna that shattered the silence, and the merciless rain that saturated his wings was rivaled only by his hatred for the sunless gloom that draped the jungle.

Zorya, however, remained unperturbed. Her obsidian gaze stayed resolutely ahead, trailing Kaldar, who led them further into the jungle. Within the fortress of her mind, she endeavored to connect with the acolytes, probing the ether for traces of their thoughts, their fears, their hopes. Her mental tendrils wound through the psychic fog, but the forest was unyielding, severing each attempt to forge a clear path to their minds.

As Kaldar zeroed in on the raw, pulsating fear emanating from the depths of the jungle, Zorya seized the reins of O'bog's consciousness. The Ximpi's tirade abruptly ended, a sudden silence falling over him like an oppressive shroud. Zorya's will wove an unspoken command into the fabric of O'bog's thoughts, pushing him to blend into the backdrop of the rain-drenched jungle. Their harmony was one of silent understanding; Zorya's directive was his duty.

A predator stalked the underbrush ahead, its hulking form a grotesque silhouette in the diminishing light. A jurgoran, its jaws a macabre testament to the death it wrought. Zorya didn't flinch. Instead, she delicately traced a finger through the air, drawing Kal's attention to her intent. Slipping past the beast, inserting herself between the jurgoran and the acolytes, then striking as one. It was a dangerous gambit, but Zorya had always found a peculiar pleasure in the trills of the hunt.

With a nimble stealth that defied her towering stature, Zorya slithered through the undergrowth. The jungle closed in behind her, swallowing her form within its serpentine folds. Her heart was a metronome, each beat a reminder of the fragile balance they now tread. As the silhouette of the jurgoran grew closer, she slipped into her ambush position, the beating of her heart echoing the silent mantra of her training: patience, precision, power.

@Phoenix