Unknown Regions: The Prophets of Darkness

[Lupe]

~2 days ago​

Top of the food chain, top of the tower, that was where Jacen Serevek stood, he had been CEO of the Serevek Mining Corporation for five years now, inheriting the company from his father, Jack Serevek. He didn't run things like his father, however, who was noble and fair in his dealings within the company, and with other people. No, Jacen ran the Serevek Mining Corporation like a Hutt would run his Cartel. He dealt shadily with thugs and criminals, using them to kill off the competition, both metaphorically and literally. He also dealt in illegal trading, using the black market to sell metals that are illegal throughout most of the galaxy for public loose. Still despite these ruthless tactics he was able to rise to the very top of the competitive food chain, becoming an apex predator with a charming smile and a silver tongue, removing his only true competition, Sir Isaac Clarke, from play. Thus Jacen was able to expand his Mining Corporation to where he had almost absolute control of 244Core.

Now, he had been called by the board to the Mining Corporations head quarters, but not because they had discovered his less than ethical dealings with the criminals of the planet for they already knew of that and decided to leave Jacen untouched since it brought the corporation power and for being afraid of being Jacen's thugs next target. Nor was it to praise Jacen for his innovations in the business that brought the corporation its power. No, this was a meeting of a different kind and Jacen knew that as he entered the conference room, since the building had tight security, armed guards everywhere supported by activated auto-turrets, and he had already guessed this was going to happen. Unusual things have recently been happening throughout the planet, mostly centered around The Dump, a junkyard full of ancient craft and old mines stripped of value, patrols were disappearing along with the local gangs centered around the location, and now it was moving closer to the city. Word was abound that something big was going to happen, which was why the board of directors called for Jacen. They were afraid for what was coming, truly frightened, since they have never faced something quite like the situation they were facing now.

Realizing this, Jacen walked into the darkened room grinning and looked at the twelve people that made up the board of directors, sitting along a long table, as well as a few armed guards, in the corners of the room, that included Mercenary Alloj Akra, the leader of the armed forces on Core244 who could revolt against Jacen at anytime, but was honor bound from doing anything of the sort, since Jacen was the only reason Alloj was alive. As Jacen walked in, the room was tense, they didn't know what to think of the enigmatic CEO who showed no fear, but finally the silence was broken.

"It's about time you arrive, Jacen" spoke the Head Director, who sat in a tall chair in the middle of the table.

"Sorry for my tardiness, I was.....erm.......busy.." the CEO said, clearly still smelling of whiskey and a fine perfume found only in the classiest of casinos.

The Director scoffed, disappointed in Jacen's need for diversions such as gambling and women when he could be doing so much more "I would have guessed. I assume you know why you're here."

"I imagine it's concerning the recent developments around the Dump." Jacen said smugly as he leaned on the wall near the exit.

"Indeed and things are getting worse, a lot worse, whatever is attacking is moving closer and we honestly don't know what to do." As the Director spoke, one could hear a bit of fear in his voice, a bit of doubt.

Immediately Jacen's eyes sparkled, just as a predator's eyes would sparkle before they pounced upon a prey, and he had to stifle a chuckle for now he knew exactly why he was called to the meeting. Still he decided to entertain them "And I'm here why?" he teased.

"You're here because we don't believe the board of directors can do anything if some sort of combat were to emerge from these events. Thus we have decided to grant you emergency powers until the situation is resolved" The fear disappeared as the words were spoke, and almost immediately one could feel a sense of relief from the board of directors, since they now knew the deed was done and now their investments and money were safe.

Meanwhile Jacen simply smirked, he knew exactly why they were doing this, they were greedy of course and so was he, but they were also shortsighted. They only saw danger, but not what could come after the danger has passed. Still Jacen's outward appearance remained neutral as he processed information mentally. He knew that things were getting bad and that by itself, 244Core would fall, so now he was thinking on who he could call on to assist. As he analyzed the numerous factions he could call for aid, he nodded towards the Board and gave a simple "Fine"

Almost immediately the whole board rose and made their way to the exit, along with most of the guards, including Alloj, but he was stopped from leaving by a simple "Hold on" from Jacen. Alloj then turned to the young CEO and stood at attention.

"Yes, sir?" asked the experienced and worn cyborg mercenary captain, as he looked at Jacen.

"I need you to reinforce the Dump, I want it taken back, do whatever it takes. I'll have reinforcements of my own help you out." Jacen said immediately, not knowing that dump was a lost cause, but of course he wouldn't know for his military experience was relatively none nor would he care since he was inherently a risk taker and would view the operation as a necessary gamble.

"But sir..." Alloj protested, but was stopped short.

"No buts, just get it done." Jacen said, dismissing the mercenary captain before walking to his office and turning on his holorecorder. Immediately he begun recording a message to be sent to the Chiss Ascendancy's new Imperator, Martel, asking for help and aid. Once he was done, he turned off the holorecorder and sent it to the Imperator, before leaning back in his comfortable chair and thinking on what was to come as helicopter roared by, using their flood lights to patrol the streets below, ensuring people's security or at least seeming to ensure people's security.

~Now​

In response to the Bogo Rai incident and the recent call for aid by 244Core, the Chiss Ascendancy had mobilized a team of highly skilled individuals under the guidance of Imperator Martel. They consisted of his daughter, his uncle, a nagai, a mandalorian, and two Prima Legatus. All of them personally chosen for the team and all of them immediately acquired and sent to Kinoss to be suited up with the best technology the Chiss has to offer. Meanwhile Martel gathered notes in the briefing room, getting ready to brief the team on what was going on, while his aide stood by and assisted him. She could tell that the Imperator was anxious and maybe even a little bit nervous, for his eyes grew a brighter red and his movements were rapid. Realizing this, she put a hand on his shoulder and smiled "They will succeed." she said sweetly as she continued to gather the notes and turn on the holoprojecter which immediately projected the picture of 244Core. "I hope so, the Ascendancy needs them to." he said as he composed himself, ready to brief the team on the mission. "Go call in the team" he order and immediately the aide ran off to the intercom room and announced: "ALL THOSE APART OF THE CHISS MISSION TO 244CORE PLEASE REPORT TO THE BRIEFING ROOM, I REPEAT ALL THOSE APART OF THE CHISS MISSION TO 244CORE PLEASE REPORT TO THE BRIEFING ROOM" She then ran back to the briefing room and stood behind the Imperator, ready to assist him if he required it. Meanwhile Martel simply stood beside the holoprojector, waiting for the team to enter to the briefing room and thinking on what exactly he was going to say since he still had barely any idea despite all his note gathering. All he knew for sure was that this mission was going to be crucial to the Ascendancy's war effort and it's success as a faction.
​

 

[Chairdor]

Jazal awoke early, or late, time was meaningless in the void of space and it hardly mattered to the Nagai who had not adjusted himself in the slightest to the Chiss's schedule aboard their vessel. Instead he had taken his foodstuff at all hours whether food was prepared or not. Currently he was dining upon something left over from the night previously, the meat was tough and tasteless and hard going down, the Nagai felt a connection with whatever creature gave this meat as if it was transferring its power, its strength to the warrior with every labored tear, nibble, and bite. Once he had bitten his way to the core of the beast and discarded his bones, the Nagai set himself to his daily meditation. Placing his blade in the center of the room, he watched as it shook and swayed slightly with the subtle shifts of the ship. Jazal mistrusted the Chiss on all matters except their flying prowess, in that and that alone they were true, able to fly around the head of a pin if needed doubtless, but for the moment all that was required is that the Nagai's sword be steadied long enough to complete the ritual. Deep in his ancestors past was a rich Nagai tradition call the flying of the blades, in which true warriors would mount themselves upon a spear for days with only their own strength keeping them from a horrible death. It was a powerful metaphor for a warrior, where it was exactly that which kept them alive in battle and beyond in all things in their life. Taking this piece of history, Jazal removed his shirt letting it fall to the ground without ceremony before producing a canteen. Anointing himself with sacred waters from a warrior's dojo he had encountered before being contacted for this assignment, the nagai slowly lowered himself into a push up position until his chest rested upon the sword.

Feeling the pressure weigh upon his every heartbeat, Jazal focused his entire being upon that one point, then spread it out, for he was one point in the universe, a singular dot within a dot within a speck, he was nothing but with a point of his blade he could become a god to another, master of death, but first he must master himself. Lifting one arm the Nagai shook slightly as the ship slightly turned causing the warriors skin to tear slightly upon the blade. As the crimson drips spattered the floor Jazal collected himself, his single remaining arm shaking in anticipation, in doubt, in fear. Fear was the same as blood dripping away from a warrior, too much and it brought only weakness and death. Breathing in deeply to find absolute center, the Nagai banished fear as he let the arm rise to join its brother, clasped behind his back tightly, chained by willpower. It was this same force that kept the Nagai aloft now as he breathed slowly, the blade entering and leaving him, killing him, then returning his life with every draw and release of oxygen. Feeling his legs tire, he sensed their fear and knew it might infect him if he did not remove one soon, aware not of his past failures in doing thing, but only of his center, of the blade that held him, Jazal lifted his leg, just as the ship hit a small asteroid.

"TCH!" he cried out involuntarily as the blade slipped and cut a swath of red across his breast. Slamming his fist upon his quarters floor, the warrior lifted himself into a sitting position and stared at the stained blade, the rivulets of blood collecting creating an estuary as they mingled with his sweat, pooling about him, warm and raw. Eventually the Nagai spit, disgusted with himself as he rose and moved towards a bucket of water he had prepared. Taking a small cloth he removed his lower clothes and systematically cleansed himself, his every movement a discipline, ensuring that every part of him was cleaned with minimal effort. There could be no waste, in water, or in energy which came from precious life, from the strength of beast flesh. Once down he arose and paced, practicing his footing in mock battle with a hundred different foes, his every step a meditative strike or parry, he was upon the battlefields of old, learning for the fights of today. Once finished and dried by his efforts, he applied a small salve to the cut that stung deeply reminding him of his failure and then put on his clothes.

At this moment he heard the general call to alert reminding him why he was here. Jazal walked through the thin walkways of the Chiss ship and thought back to that moment he had been contacted. He had been very careful to keep his dealing with the shadows, to keep his exploits separate and unheralded, yet these people had collected a great deal of data on him all the same and saw his promise. The sum offered was immense, and the opportunity even greater. To face foes no one in his galaxy had known was a welcome challenge and a chance to consume a new flesh and take up their strength through experience and combat. Checking his blades to ensure they were properly placed upon his back to allow minimal movement in drawing them, Jazal remembered the first Chiss he saw, much like him obsessed with cutting away waste, to find the greatest efficiency. Studying what he could of these people in his minimal contact the Nagai had determined the entire blue-skinned race held this view almost as a devotional for their lives. A purpose. Perhaps the Nagai would learn something from them in his dealings, beyond proper flying.

Arriving outside the briefing room Jazal approached the doors and as they gave way he saw an outfitted duo of Chiss before him, Jazal merely bowed slightly in acknowledgement of their presence then found a corner to await the arrival of the other team members who had seen even less of than the crew. Noting the chairs Jazal merely looked away, preferring to stand and maintain his readiness for combat, everything was a threat, none greater than him.

 

[Nightmare Moon]

Ohrmazd did not miss the sensation of feeling. What pleasure he took from the sun's rays passing down on his skin and feeling the wind blow through his hair had long passed even before he became laced with wires and wrapped in hard metal. The forces of the outer reaches has stolen such pleasures from him inch by inch eroding his humanity till all that remained was the soldier chiselled from stone. This form was only an improvement over old body - slowly breaking down from times brutal caress.

They cursed his nephew Martell even now. The ones who had opened themselves to chaos and old night. The powers that existed before there was life or reason. In seeing the supposed death of Ohrmazd they believed they had won a victory over the forces of order and reason - the bastion that was the Chiss Ascendancy. But Martell had snatched this prize straight from their slavering jaws. And now the eldritch forces seethed churning the darkness that lay upon the edge of the deep. House Mar stood a tower amidst the raging tides and while it's light shone across the waters the darks servants could not rise to bring carnage and hold the galxy in their thrall. This attack was born from rage and would if successful act as a spearhead for further strikes against the Chiss.

Stepping into the room Ohmazad gave the formal bow of respect to the Imperator. Though they were family Martell was now leader and thus would be treated with the customs his post entailed. Taking a ready stance Ohmazads machinery locked into place as he observed the mercenaries that had shown up for the mission. A Nagai swordsman and a Nautolian. It was rare to see a Nagai align with the ascendancy as the race had never quite managed to temper it's aspirations of conquest involving the outer regions putting them and the Chiss somewhat at odds. Though in the face of what was to come only a fool or a worshipper of the dark powers would turn upon his fellow sentiments. For all their designs at empire Ohmazad did not believe the pallid humanoids to be either.

 

[Orphen]

It had been a long journey from Celwis to rendezvous with the Chiss Ship. Elspet flew her flagship in full form with its entourage to meet up with martel and the others, she was mad, more than mad, furious. As one of her experiments had been shut down by a higher power, completely out of her control. However, the research was solid, and other advancements had been made. Fully equipped as was customary for a Prima Legatus of the Ascendancy, Mar'nelspetia'nuroodu, guided her large ship and the two Skira class Destroyers not too far from their destination, though allowing herself to be picked up by Martel and the others.

Once aboard Elspet moved to the board room, not making eye contact with anyone, the person she was briefed about being the CEO of this mining group sounded like a scum-bag, and would have been put to death on Celwis a long, long time ago for his crimes. Probably by Elspet herself, though with her experience in the outer reaches, she was very, very well learned for her age.

Though the Ascendancy had not been formally attacked by an outside amassing force for some time, Celwis had been under near constant attack by one thing or another for the past thousand years. Being more or less her home planet, the mining/ fortress world was not too different from the place they were going to...

As she walked into thee room she sat down with a huff, folding her arms and immediately avoiding the gaze of Martel. Though she seemed immature exteriorly, those of the sensitive persuasion to the phenomena known as the force, would find themselves slammed by the sheer sum of the processing information in Elspets mind, should their curiosity wonder. She was lost about the details of the mission, all she had was a place and a couple of names she had pulled up from her own private research, as well as a couple of field reports about sudden disappearances. Something big was going on, and it spoke for itself with people of such high rank sitting all in the same room...

She didn't know why, and mysteries bugged Elspet, she didn't like them, they needed to be solved...

 

[jpchewy01]

Prard'ora'nuruodo couldn't help but feel disappointed when he was informed that his return to Csilla would be cut short by another mission. After a year in the Unknown Regions, he was looking forward to a return to civilisation. Of course, when he learned that the Imperator himself would be overseeing the mission, his lust for prestige got the better of him. His cabin was ordered and efficient, there was nothing in it that he didn't need and everything had it's place. The Chiss live for efficiency and Doran was no different. He was nearly horrified by the wasteful lives of the people in the Unknown Regions and honestly had no desire to return to that lawless and primitive corner of the galaxy.

Doran was reading a rather good treatise on naval strategy when the general call went out. He was startled by the sudden and urgent call of the Imperator's aide. It was time to meet the new Imperator. He gently closed his book and placed it carefully on the desk next to his bunk. He made sure his uniform was pristine and his hair neat and silently stepped into the narrow corridor, a signature feature of crafts constructed by the efficient Chiss. Minimising space in corridors and other non-essential parts of the ship, allowed for larger cabins and conference rooms and for a smaller, sleeker vessel. Doran walked past the guard into conference room where a few others were already congregating. He noticed a Nagai haunting a corner on the far end of the room. He never liked the Nagai all that much and his dealings with them on his mission only fortified his distrust of them. He nodded to those already present and awaited further instruction.

 

[Nephill Kilner]

Nephill Kilner's mission working alongside the Chiss as Mandalorian liasion had been...educational.

As educational as starships and stoic training exercises could be.

In short, Nephill had been wondering whether his tenure as the first (and possible last) military "adviser" (more associate) from the Clans to the Ascendancy would be endless durasteel walls and ships - a completely fruitless effort.

But now - a mission. And a tough one to boot.

He had read through what information he could obtain, and it seemed no easy task. Force users. Heh. The nasty type. He was no stranger to gutting a few "servants of the Force," but he was no fan of it. Too much potential for death.

But what was life, but a constant lesson? And it would be educational to throw in his sword alongside these blue people to take on this sick religion.

Neph lived for the Clans. And the fact that this was a sanctioned mission, on official, and supposedly important business, was all that mattered to him. He was well prepared to die for this mission - and that was what would give him his edge. A man who accepted his fate had no fear, and the errors that fear caused.

The battle hardened Mandalorian trekked his way through the hallways following the announcement - he had been all suited up and had been waiting patiently on the edge of his bunk, studying military journals until the time came. His boots click-clacking on the metal floor, Nephill strode into the room without a sideways glance and took a seat.

His beskar'gam was battle scarred, with dents, pockmarks, burn scorches, dirt, the whole nine. And according to his assessment, no small amount of more grit would be added to it. His helmet, or buy'ce, displayed Shriek Hawk Eyes - jaig eyes, that only those who were brave were honored with.

The Mandalorian crossed his arms, taking in the room around him with his helmet's 360 degree view cameras, appearing stoic and impassive behind his faceless helmet even as he systematically gathered and analyzed the information around him.

 

[Radiwalker]

The command was relayed throughout the ship, while Slice was in the middle of helping the technicians on the ship do some upgrades and run some tests in the command center, Chiss ships were regularly checked and upgraded so that there wouldn't be any functional issues in times of battle, or even worse - crisis. The girl left the rest of the work to the ship's personnel and headed towards the briefing room.

She was wearing civil leather clothing, as her work required that of her, but her weapons were with her nonetheless. She had spent most of her time on the ship in meeting the personnel, helping them with their duties and overall moving around the vessel, rather than locking herself in her room. She hadn't met any of the other members of the team that she was a part of for the mission, but she had caught glimpses of them on security cameras and in the hallways.

She was fascinated by the fact that she would work with new people and even mercenaries, as it was something she was not very used to. Change was coming. Her father had become Imperator and she knew that he would innovate and strengthen the Ascendancy. She could only imagine the new regulations, combat strategies, as well as technologies that would soon be integrated into the ascendancy. In other words the girl was more than excited.

There was, however, one down side to it all. She was used to seeing little of her father, but now that little was growing less and less. In fact she had only congratulated him on his position through a message, as she had not seen him for a very long time prior and after his crowning. Neither of them were the kind of people that would arrange a special dinner for the occasion, but she had hoped that they would at least have a moment to smile to one another and thus "celebrate".

The time for such thoughts grew short as Slice reached the briefing room. Her hands and face were rather dirty, not to mention her clothes, which also happened to be white and thus the dirt stood out a lot more on them. There was a particular stench coming from her, a mixture of sweat, dust and some liquid substances found in different parts of the ship. One would wonder when was the last time Mara had been in her room, or taken a shower. Still, she would not mind the awkward looks of her companions, as she knew that her field performance would change their bad first impression of her.

The door opened before her and she entered the room. Being the last one to walk in she smiled to everyone present, gave an affirmative look towards her father and after running her eyes over Martel's uncle, she found an empty seat and sat down, making sure her seat was slightly afar from the rest, so her stench wouldn't be as strong, or assaulting. With that she took a moment to take a good look at all her companions, finally setting her eyes on Martel's assistant. Somebody Slice hadn't met, but would certainly evaluate during the debriefing.

 

[Lupe]

Martel watched as the team walked in, each and everyone of them known to be the top of the top, the elites. First to come into the briefing room was the revered Jazal Nak, whom had recently signed up for the Chiss Mercenary program, thus was not officially part of the Ascendancy but a valuable asset none the less. He was known to be an expert swordsman that could put some Jedi Knights and Sith Crusaders to shame, which was why he was chosen for the mission, though whether or not the rumor is true yet remains to be seen in Martel's eyes. After Jazal came a returning veteran of the Unknown Regions, Prard'ora'nuruodo, or Doran, whom Martel had heard of but had not necessarily met due to both parties having relatively busy schedules. Still Martel was glad to have the Naval Officer on the team despite his expertise being in piloting rather than ground work, since the Imperator knew that it was best to have a mix bag rather than rely on one type of unit or branch. Next was Nephill Kilner, a former mercenary turned Mandalorian who now serves as a primary liaison between the Mandalorian Clans and the Chiss Ascendancy, but that was not to say he was chosen due to his charisma. No, he was chosen for his skill in combat and his knowledge of Mandalorian Culture that would come into play during major decisions for the Ascendancy in order to avoid offending their Beskar buddies. Still, liaison or not, Nephill would turn out to be a valuable member of the team due to his skill in combat that rivaled even full blown Immortals, making them look like little children playing with small toys. Lastly came Mar'a'nouroudo, or Mara, adopted daughter of the Imperator and member of the highly revered, and highly clandestine, Shadow Walker unit. Despite her unorthodox way of approaching things, as shown through her appearance at the briefing, she was still highly admired by most members of the Ascendancy simply due to her status as daughter of the Imperator and her skill in slicing electronic devices as well as combat, though the latter is less talked about. The team showed almost nothing in common with different personalities ranging from the playful Mara to the strict Nephill to the fanatical Jazal, nor did they share background with Mara being an engineer, Nephill being a Mercenary turned Mandalorian, Jazal being a fanatic Nagai swordsman, and Doran being a skilled pilot and naval officer. So to have all those people from different walks of life all united for one goal was quite the feat, still despite their differences they seemed to all show one thing in common. They were all curious and anxious, maybe even a little bit nervous, as to why they had been called for a mission. Hell it did not take Martel's force sensitivity in order for him to feel the tenseness in the air as the team walked in and sat down in their seats.

Still as soon as they did sit down, Martel did not waste much time starting the briefing, he was already nervous enough, waiting any longer would push him over the edge and actually start making him sweat.

"So," he started, looking at the team with eyes of confidence and determination "I guess you are all wondering why you have been called her today, even though some of you may know vague details through independent research. Well I am about to tell you why you are here, but first let us go back to the Bogo Rai incident" Immediately an image of Bogo Rai popped up on the holoprojector "As most of you know the Ascendancy suffered an attack on Bogo Rai, but most of you have been told that it was an isolated incident that was a result of a criminal gang that was quickly disposed of. This report is far from the truth, in fact the truth is we are not exactly sure what attacked us on Bogo Rai and we know for sure that we did not dispose of them. We also do not believe that the incident was not isolated, far from it, we believe that it is connected to several other attacks in the Unknown Regions that has led to whole planets disappearing from the galaxy at large. Thus the reason why the Ascendancy is organizing several operations throughout the Unknown Regions in an attempt to find the culprits that a few of you might have even participated in. This mission to 244Core is apart of the most recent string of these Operations, dubbed Operation: Miner Down."

The holoprojector then showed a small document that had some operation details such as where it was located and who it involved "I took personal interest in this mission simply because of how tactically important the planet is to the war effort with the Galactic Alliance, thus it is unnecessary for me to tell you that failure is not an option. Now let me tell you the details of Operation: Miner Down. First off the operation is located on 244Core, a mining planet revered for its near infinite metal reserves." As Martel spoke the image once again changed to 244Core "Now on 244Core there is several mining corporations, but the main one in power right now is Serevek Mining Corporation, currently led by CEO Jacen Serevek, whom was the one who contacted the Ascendancy for assistance. We were told that 244Core is in imminent danger from an outside threat that had managed to infiltrate the planet, further details were not disclosed sadly so we are essentially going in their blind." Martel stopped for a second, looking at the team, before speaking once more.

"Now I know some of you may have a problem with going in blind, but this Operation is imperative to the Chiss war effort and for the betterment of Ascendancy life. It is so imperative that I am not letting you go in by yourselves. No, I will be right beside you the whole way and I will not leave one man or woman behind, dead or alive. You will also be given the absolute best of Chiss weaponry and armaments to help ensure success in the Operation." Martel stopped speaking once more, the holoprojector shutting off and the lights turning on once more."Now if there are no more questions, ready up, ETA is 30 mins" the Imperator said once more before turning his back and looking down at his notes.

---

Meanwhile, dark forces were rising on 244Core, focusing around The Dump, as two powerful and evil beings met in the epicenter of the huge scrap yard.

A tall, intimidating figure stood upon a high point in The Dump, overseeing the surrounding area as a smaller, though more powerfully built, figure approached him and bowed. "My Lord, we are ready." the smaller figure spoke in a deep and intimidating voice "We should attack now before they grow too strong"

The taller figure laughed, an unnatural sound, one that would send chills through even the most hardcore Sith. "You know, Naza-im" the tall, looming figure said, speaking in a wise, slow voice "You have always been brash and ruthless, sometimes overstepping your boundaries, but for once you are right, we need to attack now, prepare the men and send them into battle."

Almost immediately the figure named Naza-im bowed before the tall figure, excusing himself from the figures presence before yet another figure, this one even more scrawny and small, appeared out of the shadows. "Sire, do you believe it is best to put him in charge of the attack, knowing of his ruthlessness?" the small one asked, speaking in an almost pitiful voice if it had not been for the sense of darkness one attained when hearing his voice.

"His ruthlessness will bring us victory, though your concern is noted, Saven" said the tall, dark figure before departing, leaving Saven in disappointment as hundreds and thousands of figures arose from the darkness, armed with blades imbued in the force and accomponied by beasts of unnatural design, and began their approach out of the Dumps and into the city. Almost immediately firefights could be heard as they broke out between the Mining Corporation's guards and the Sorcerers of Rhand.​

 

[Chairdor]

Jazal breathed deeply now within the confines of the briefing room his every respiration another exercise as he attempted to siphon the harnessed oxygen, manipulate it, thin it, expand it in heated wisps. Slowly the warrior sought to expand the control over his environment by demanding more power from his own body, to take responsibility from his unconscious, from instinct. To rely on simple reaction in battle was to use a stone club against a sharp blade. Slowly pressing his mind to the whet stone Jazal intensified the pain still welling from his chest, closing his eyes in focus as it burned, then in an instant shifted his focus, attempting to cool it, to dull it slowly but surely feeling it fade in the background. The Nagai swordsman never wasted time, it was said that all wasted breaths were stolen and never returned. That is why the old die, their wasted lives finally catching up to them.

About to continue, Jazal opened his eyes as the door whisked open again with a calm nearly soundless friction. It was a sleek design mean to function without drawing attention to itself. The Nagai knew all things built reflected their creators so he noted this as another lesson from his Chiss employers. The one who entered bore the same functional subtlety of the door and despite this reserved nature Jazal noted his immediate look and narrowed his eyes slightly his pupils lifting up and down to scan the newcomer completely. He seemed in shape yet not overly bulky like the Nagai, like the ship, and in fact like the other Chiss before him. Beyond that Jazal noted a ceremonial air about him, he seemed to be acting a roll rather than upon his own wishes. This was no business of the Nagai's but to disseminate motivations from people one knew little of was good mental exercise for a warrior.

He did not bow in respect to this newcomer in the end as he did the original occupants, noting a lack of respect emanating from the official looking officer. Instead Jazal turned away to the door anticipating more members of the team to arrive at any moment. This anticipation had little to wait for as the Nagai heard the newest arrival long before he strode through the awaiting portal. It was a Mandolorian and the state of his armor both in quality and wear advertised quite plainly that he was a skilled and respected member of his clan. Jazal's people did not have armor to take their blows so respect came to clan members in scars and wounds. In fact the most revered wounds were self inflicted, a practice only allowed once per battle in which the warrior had taken no other damage. When Nagi fell to the Tof's so did Gralik the Many-Notched who was said to have no room on his body for the battles he had lived through unscathed. Jazal eying this masked warrior now sensed that same aura of legend about him. He did not look for long however as another figure came in, her markings as telling as the Mandolorian's.

She strode in dirt-ridden clearly in the middle of some work upon the ship which intrigued the Nagai, as did her unusual smell. Jazal was of the belief that to be a warrior was a lifestyle unbroken by other pursuits, abhorring the wasted hours of Jedi's and other warrior families time in pursuing academia or merely meditating upon their own revelations. He eyed this technician with unease unsure of how she might perform in the task set before them. It was not his call to make, nor his place to speak as he looked to his employer as he introduced himself and began to speak.

When he spoke of Bogo Rai Jazal nodded with memory of the incident he had studied extensively long before the Chiss had contacted him. The swordsman was always pursuing knew warriors, searching for strength to learn of and perhaps meet in battle to drink of their blood and experience in person. Unable to learn much of this incident beyond the propaganda Jazal had given up to pursue other interests, but this noting returned him to that pursuit of knowledge as he listened intently to the details. When he heard of the unknown nature of their foe as well as their strength in blinding the Chiss to the fate of an entire planet, Jazal's lips slightly bent upward, it seemed he would get everything he wanted from this mission and more. Looking over the revealed holo projection Jazal noted the stats as he listened to the state of this mine with lessening interest his greater conscious traveling forward to greet that moment where he might sink his blades into new flesh and learn of their secrets and tradition. In order to learn of a beings life, you must cause them death, it was a wisdom as old as war and the Nagai was prepared for it.

As the Imperator noted that he would be with them and provide the team with the best weapons the Nagai nearly scoffed. Jazal already had a deadly weapon which could be obtained from no one but himself, complete control over his physical form and domination over his mental machinations. He had sharpened himself into a single deadly point, a tool with but one use, to cut short the lives of thousands of lesser beings. Be it in thirty minutes or thirty seconds he was prepared blind or not. You didn't need to know much about a warrior to know that they can be killed, that is the singular nature of war, we grow strong so that we might survive and consume our foe to grow stronger still until at last we are worn away, either as mountains chipped by time, or trees felled by an axe below our feet, unsuspecting yet unable to save ourselves.

As the Imperator turned away Jazal moved off the wall and began pacing throughout the presentation room his mind traveling to the battlefields of his past experience, seeing the faces of dead enemies. They lived on within him, a legion at his beck and call that he could lead and control through his own actions and memory. On this day he prepared to add many new souls to his force.

 

[jpchewy01]

Doran watched the Imperator enter the room and immediately began to evaluate him. This was the first time they had met, but they had heard much of each other. He saw the Imperator begin to glance at him for evaluation and looked away, satisfied with his new leader. Doran listened as the Imperator explained the situation and a sickness entered his stomach. He was going right back into the hell that he had just escaped from. Though he had never been to 244Core, he was returning to a situation that had developed on multiple planets for the entirety of his mission in the Unknown Regions. He knew what the team was getting themselves into, and he was afraid.

 

[Nephill Kilner]

Neph hated going in blind to anything.

Then again, why did he always get into these situations?

Because the truth was, the nature of his work was that he got the tough missions. And the tough missions were always full of unknowns.

He had heard the storyline too many times now; a reasonable cover story, but the truth unknown. Well let it be so, then. It would just be another mission against a worthy foe. Perhaps this would be his end, perhaps it wouldn't. Although he vastly preferred the latter. There was too much for him to do, too much for him to experience, to meet his demise with a bunch of bluies.

Usually banter meant to reassure him "no man left behind" "best equipment." Neph knew better then most that once they were bootsdown, everything would probably go to straight to haran and it would go down to personal skill to survive.

Very well, he was ready. No more real words to be said. Just action to be done. He was getting tired of lounging around on this damned ship anyways.

 

[Radiwalker]

Slice was surprised at the bunch that had been gathered for the mission, for they were all quite different, when she knew for a fact that Martel was used to picking his teams specifically for the task at hand. She could not see what kind of a mission would require so many different specialists and personalities all the same. Although they were all interesting, only one really caught her eye - the one who had acknowledged her entrance - the Nagai, a sentient like no other Mara had seen. She offered a slight, curt smile to the creature that seemed to measure and wight her with his bare eyes.

Soon enough, after Martel began speaking, everything became perfectly clear to the girl, or rather not. She realized that the reason for the team being made up of so many different members was in fact - the mission. The new Imperator was sending the team, as well as himself, into the blue. There was no information on the situation, nor the enemy, but one thing was certain - defeat was not an option. The stakes were high and victory had to be achieved, at almost any cost.

Slice was ready for anything and the fact that she would be provided with state-of-the-art equipment was one that made her smile. Unlike others who got used to their weapons and armor, like mandalorians, who liked to see and count the scars of battle on their breastplates, the girl was okay with wearing different gear for different missions, as she easily got used to using different technologies, only because of her proficiency in dealing with them.

At the end of the briefing she was more hyped-up about it than at the beginning. She knew she'd be getting new toys, she would be going on an important, mysterious and most probably life-endangering mission, which could only mean one thing - lots of high adrenaline... and, of course, fun. Once Martel was finished, Slice simply nodded to him, took a curt bow to the rest of the team and left the room, heading back towards the command center to check on the personnel's progress with the upgrades. Once she made sure everything was okay and they were wrapping things up, she made her way towards her room, where she planned to take a quick shower and change clothes. Finally, in no more than twenty minutes, she would be ready to depart for the mission, but, of course, there was one thing left to do, before departure and it was nothing other than gearing up.

 

[Lupe]

Once Martel gathered his notes he made his way to his quarters, letting his secretary handle any requests in order for him to switch into his armor. He walked slowly towards his quarters, making his way through the crowd of Chiss Intelligence Agents and Chiss Diplomats who populated the halls of the ship. Once he reached his spartan quarters, a testament to his personality and his leadership style, the Imperator made his way to a closet in the corner. Opening the closet door he came upon his armor, neatly placed in its stand. For a second he simply stood there marveling the piece, for in all honesty it was the pinnacle of Chiss innovation in the Armoring department. Time to get armored up, he thought as he began to gently remove articles of the armor from its stand, laying it on the bed in the center of the room before beginning to put it on. It did not take long for Martel to finish putting on his armor, every movement though was calculated and carefully though over. A sudden faulty would not be a good thing to have in combat therefore it was imperative for him to be careful on how he put on his armor to avoid such faults from happening.

Once his armor was on, with exception of his helmet, he returned to the closet, opening a back panel behind the armor stand. Inside the panel was Martel's Scimtar and Tyrants, carefully placed in little slots alongside the Imperator's lightsaber. The weapons were well maintained, so well maintained that it was as if they had just exited the factory, but this was not the doing of one of Martel's followers. No, the Imperator maintained his weapons, mostly due to habit, but also because of security in order to avoid someone tampering with his weapons that could cause a fatal flaw in the weapon during battle. After admiring his handy work, Martel grabbed his weapons, putting the pistols in side holders and the rifle on his back while holding his lightsaber in his hand. He stared at it for a while, reminiscing his time as an Immortal Knight, recalling the many skirmishes and battles he participated in for the Ascendancy. He fought for the same reason now as he did then, to repay his debt to the Ascendancy and bring honor to his family name. Nothing would get between him and those goals. Eventually he snapped back to reality and placed the lightsaber in a holster on his right hip before walking out of the quarters and heading towards the hanger.

Once at the hanger, Martel walked into one of two shuttles that would drop off the team onto 244Core and waited. Meanwhile the Imperator's assistant ran back to the intercomm and said one simple message into the device "All operatives report to shuttles in the hanger immediately. ETA is five minutes" the message was clear and the halls were just as clear since everybody was preparing for the jump out of hyperspace, thus allowing the team to make it in time to the shuttles if they did not waste time.

~On the Surface
The slaughter had begun, from the dumps poured out soldiers and warriors of Rhand, wielding force imbued blades and fighting with a ferocity that not even Sith Warriors could match. They killed all in their way, whether they be child, woman, or man. They pillaged and burned every city, every mine they came across. Things were bad, most of the planet had already been overwhelmed in less than an hour due to the lack of an organized security force. The only remaining sectors of the planet that were out of Rhand control either belonged to the Severek Mining Corp, or under Sir Isaac Clarke and his veteran warriors. The reason these territories were not overwhelmed in the original onslaught was due to their knowledge of the threat before hand and their organized military forces, Severek using a mass of thugs and mercenaries who were well armed to hold off the Rhand Warriors. While Clarke's forces used their experience and superior skill at arms to fend the invaders off. Still, it was obvious to both parties that without Chiss assistance they would fall before nightfall, but that did not mean they would go out without a fight.

Alloj was at the front lines near the capital city of 244Core, firing his blaster rifle at the beasts that charged the city, trying their best to overwhelm the defending force. Meanwhile Isaac Clarke was at his headquarters with his men, swinging his battle-tested sword at the Rhand warriors. Both locations were key to the holding of the planet for they were the strongest forces on 244Core and their loss would mean the loss of the planet's defenses.​

 

[Nephill Kilner]

Nephill made his way back to his shipboard quarters, surveying the room that had been a temporary, but comfortable home for the Mandalorian the past few days. After a nod of farewell, he shoved what little possessions he had removed into his travel bag, a sturdy, smaller sized duffel that was hardened against the elements. Its contents was mostly equipment. The Mandalorian had little personal possessions.

Knowing he had time to spare, he wandered the hallways aimlessly, taking in the strange blue persons around him. They afforded each other mutual respect - yet, it was...awkward. They knew he didn't belong and viewed him as suspicious. Nephill didn't trust them. Yet they had to rely on each other, because of the circumstances of their relationship. At least he could read their facial expressions, however tightly masked they were, whereas they only could see cold metal T-visor.

As soon as he heard the announcement, he moved for the hangar immediately, energy in his step. Finally he would see action. He hadn't realized how much he hated to be cooped up until now. Clearly, returning to active service for Mand'alor had reawakened an old fire.

Stepping into the shuttle, he was surprised to see the Imperator himself sitting inside, suited up for combat.

After taking a brief moment to recover, he extended his gloved and plated hand in a standard, galactic-friendly greeting. "My pleasure, Imperator. I am Nephill Kilner, the Mandalorian liaison," he said. He genuinely had no idea how much information the Chiss leader knew about him, as this entire deployment had been handled through the military bureaucracy.

 

[jpchewy01]

Doran left the conference room and headed straight for his quarters. The hallways seemed smaller on the way back for some reason. The claustrophobic feeling followed him and grew worse until he finally opened his cabin door and stepped inside. He realised he was sweating. He took a moment to catch his breath. The Imperator's description of the situation was frighteningly familiar. 244Core was probably already overrun. They would be walking straight into a death trap. He'd seen the worlds go dark. He'd been evacuated from one of them. He'd seen the evil. He'd witnessed the destruction. He'd been there. He'd seen it. He'd...Doran caught himself. He took a deep breath. His mission obviously had had a bigger toll on him than expected. He couldn't allow this to cloud his mind while deployed. He needed to be prepared to serve at the pleasure of the Imperator. He needed to be prepared to give his own life to save his leader's. He sat down on the floor and began to meditate. It was not the meditation of a Jedi or an Adept but rather the simple relaxation of a non-Force sensitive. He controlled his breath and cleared his mind. We would be prepared when the team landed. He needed to be prepared.

His meditative state was disrupted by the announcement. They were about to set off. He quickly changed into his combat uniform and ran a cursory scan of the pack that he had prepared the night before. With everything in order, he took one last look at his neat little cabin. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and began walking to the shuttle bay. When he arrived, the Mandalorian was already seated with the Imperator. Doran, still a man of the Navy, asked permission to board. When it was granted by the pilot, he stepped aboard and saluted the Imperator, "Sir, I look forward to serving under you. I will not fail you."