Onslaught of the Empire

[Sayla-girl]

The ambassador nodded at the ensign and gestured for him to lead on. Following him, it did not take long for the trio from the Oradin Rose to reach the command center.
Casting a curious gaze over the room, Thessa then looked over to her Guard captain and spoke in a low voice.
"I suppose we're going to meet whoever is in charge of this mess of a fleet."
"They're probably going to tell us what the situation in the cluster is." Mai returned.
 

[Nelowulf]

Knight-errant Jian Yakamura
Location: Thule
Personal Location: Canyon of the Long Winds - The Tomb of Lord Kosan
Accompanying People: None
Current Attire: http://phoenixlu.deviantart.com/art/Taoist-priest-146500461

The choke; regardless of what many jedi had said, there was a legendary signature feel to it. It's beauty lie within the fact that the choke itself wasn't too deadly; however, unless it released, the oxygen in the body would burn itself out, leaving the corpse behind. Perhaps more importantly, the victim often sped the process of death up, becoming excited and having adrenaline pump through the body and using up the one key resource it needed. In this fact alone, a choke's fighting ability can be devastating if a person is caught on their guard.

Jian, through some need of the Force, hadn't been as easily provoked. While somewhat surprised at first, this was limited in part due to the calm nature he had before the fight. Just enough time to calm his body down before Cinn had arrived, Jian's own body had some time before his vision went down. That didn't mean the attack didn't /hurt/.

His vision dimmed as he tried to resist the urge to clasp at his neck. He must have looked like a fool, flailing slightly about. Not enough to be desperate, not little enough to be calm. What was the enemy's weakness, think Jian... His arm outstretched, easily concentrating. Maybe...

Jian unlit his saber, pulling his hands back in a cupped form, focusing as well as he could (which was not terribly much) and charged himself up what he could to throw the strongest push he could summon, the wisps of air currents forming around his hands as he flung the orb of force towards his opponent.  

[lady_skuld]

lady_skuld

Sythica didn't notice when the Sith looked to her. Knowing people wasn't her specialty, though she had met woods earlier that day in the mess hall on the ship. Woods was a woman, nicknamed particularly for her flirty attitude. At least, that's what they said when she asked.

Following the female corporal, the squad split up into small groups. The objective was no longer to storm everything with guns blazing. Now they needed stealth to place a smoke grenade to help call in the artillery. The day drug on. The soldiers kept an eye open to all their sides, alert for enemies on all sides.

It was going to be a long march indeed.


Squad objectives:
- Secure an LZ.
- Shut down comm transmitters
- Destroy air defenses
- Remove the main communication tower.
- Secure spaceport

 

[Miss-Pandemica]

Nova stayed behind Sythica at first as they quietly marched towards the city. And as they trecked through the brush she allowed her senses and instincts to guide her, but eventually she made her way closer to their CO. “Permission to go forward and scout the area, sir,” she addressed the corporal, not really knowing that Woods was actually a woman.  

[Cale Darksun]

Caught off guard by this sudden force push, Cinn was forced to release his choke and sent backwards by the blow. His armored boots sounded as they made contact with the stone floor, the Sith swiftly recovering from the Telekinetic attack, and with lightsaber positioned for an attack, the Sith Warrior retaliated with a horizontal leap that brought him almost ontop of his opponent, the Sith displaying frightening agility and speed for an armored man of his size. His Saber came down as he closed with his target, seeking to cut Jian in two.
 

[Nelowulf]

Knight-errant Jian Yakamura
Location: Thule
Personal Location: Canyon of the Long Winds - The Tomb of Lord Kosan
Accompanying People: None
Current Attire: http://phoenixlu.deviantart.com/art/Taoist-priest-146500461

Let battle be done! Jian vs Cinn!

The knight errant dropped to the ground, but not a moment too soon he felt the force urge him to move. Rolling to the right, the lightsaber intended for him struck only the beast's corpse he had been standing in front of, glancing off a mutilating blow. Such great agility and speed, even for his size, Jian was starting to get concerned about his own. Such doubts were quelled in an instant, as a horizontal slash intended towards his head came, and the young jedi bent back to avoid it, turning his dodge into a backflip. Jian ignited his saber again, slicing the remaining weights from his appendages, flinging them up and at Cinn for a moment's distraction as he let his body adjust to the new freedoms it had.

Jian pulled his lightsaber to his side, charging forward and giving a horizontal swing towards the armored foe, having to aim up slightly as Cinn blocked the attack with ease. The two handed grip of Jian was underpowered, as he suddenly began to realize that Shii-cho probably wouldn't do much good in this fight. He was far too outmatched in pure strength to win with such little agility. The two blades crackled against each other as Cinn put some effort behind his blade. Jian felt his grip on the ground lessen, as he was pushed back with a mere swing of his opponents blade, his feet doing all they could to dig into the ground for any way to stop this rearward advance.

Jian charged forward again, giving a horizontal slice, only to be met with another rising swing from his opponent's blade. The young jedi was not to lock his blade in combat, instead using the energy he had from his opponent's aggressive block to dart to the side, and refresh himself with enough inertia to push himself back into another charge. The blades swung, hitting again, as Jian darted back out of a bladelock a second time, pushing forward again. He gave a feint this time, pretending for an sideways strike from a leap attack. Instead of connecting, he curled up to block what he had hoped to be the appropriate swing, to land on the ground for a low sweeping attack with the yellow lightsaber against the armored foe.

"No time," he muttered to himself, as Cinn saw through the feint and gave a swing of his own. Jian stepped to the side, as another diagonal slash came down. Another sidestep from Jian, who balanced his blade close to his body. A small jump back to evade a low sweeping blow. Jian landed on the ground, just out of reach of the blade, moving forth with another feint in combat, an overhead strike, intending to step out of the way to connect a solid blow to his opponent's midsection with a horizontal slash instead.  

[Cale Darksun]

Sparks flew as blades collided, Cinn going for the block and parrying the move easily, Cinn easily seeing through the feint. The sabers crackled with power as they were locked, The Sith easily matching the strength of Jian, holding the Jedi's blade back with his own.

The youth's little show was amusing. He had some minor skill, but he was no danger to Cinn, further proof that the acolytes he had sent in were weak and useless, unfit to be true Sith.

His attention on the battle at hand, Cinn sensed a sliver of doubt and desperation growing larger with each attack parried and countered. Such things lead to fear, the fuel of the dark side. And as brave a face as Jian was putting up, even youthful bravado coudln't last under the crushing power of Cinn.

With practiced speed and swiftness, Cinn snapped a gauntleted hand out, grabbed Jian by the front of his tunic and hurled him across the room towards a wall.

'You don't face mere accolytes or fallen Jedi now, boy." Cinn declared. "I am Droma Cinn, Dark Warrior of the Sith. None can stand against me. Especially not a jedi like you."

 

[Nelowulf]

Knight-errant Jian Yakamura
Location: Thule
Personal Location: Canyon of the Long Winds - The Tomb of Lord Kosan
Accompanying People: None
Current Attire: http://phoenixlu.deviantart.com/art/Taoist-priest-146500461

Everything was moving in slow motion. From the grab, to the toss, Jian felt himself go airborne, followed by the sudden stop of being thrown across the room into the wall, the eventual slump on to the ground. The impact stung across his body. Pushing himself up from the ground to his hands and knees, Jian tried to get up and shook his head.

A battle is more than winning and losing. Focus too much on success, and you'll become arrogant and fall. Focus too much on failure, and you'll paralyze yourself with doubt. To lose is sometimes better than to win, and sometimes, to not fight is better than to fight at all.

His hubris, from youthful exuberance, hadn't been halted when he entered. Though he hadn't noticed it creeping up, it had taken him. Sith cults for ages had been defeated by the Jedi. From his sheltered study life, he had been taught the finest of fighting styles, yet no challenge truly had tested his skills like with his padawan test. Still, with success came further success, and though he was not invincible in record, he hadn't ever fully been beaten. Now, the enemy had displayed his frightening speed, his indomitable strength, and his incalculable skill. Though he had attempted to taunt the master, a sign of his trust in his skills, it was bravado that spoke. And when he found himself unable to land a blow, arrogance which had been building, had turned to doubt. The fear of death attempted to overcome years of training, of self-discipline.

And then, reality decided to throw him at a wall.

"You're right," Jian said, using the wall to help him up. "You aren't anything like I've fought. And it is quite exciting... isn't it?" The young lad gave a small smile. "Thank you for helping me remember the Jedi Code, Master Cinn. Where I had ignorance, now I have knowledge. After all, a Jedi must learn that knowledge and wisdom can come from even the most unusual places."

He gave a small smile, looking at the large juggernaut coming towards him. Though not a word was spoken, Jian took a deep breath, remembering lessons his former Master had taught him, some of the meanings which had eluded him before, now had suddenly began to make more sense.

I still stand before him. Despite his words, I still stand against him. As long as I don't kneel, I can always stand before him... Should he strike me down, I shall become one with the Force. And then I would forever stand before him. I understand that my doubts are holding me back. I have been too cautious with my life, and not been listening to the Force, Master. I could have seen the attack if only I had been listening.

Jian stood straight as he could, glancing up and around, examining his surroundings another time. He was not experienced enough to take on this challenge head on. Nor did he have the brute strength to fight it with muscle, and his speed... maybe fast enough to compete, but too risky to rely on alone, for sake of his experience. He had to retreat by whatever means he could, but there was some things he could do to help it. Taking a deep breath, he charged forward, sword in a downward position, ready to pose another strike on Cinn.

(this post took too long to write, and i'm still not happy about it... Don't know why.)  

[Skyeborne]

Khyber stood as everyone began exiting the room, giving the other two one last thoughtful look before striding after the other Jedi. He would have liked the chance to speak to them in private, but he had noticed several listening devices placed discreetly about the room and was thus limited in what he could openly say.

"I believe I shall accompany you afterall," said Khyber, after catching up to Caisar in the hall. "Any information I could gleam from the current situation would be invaluable to me; and if I could be of any assistance to the Republic here, you have but to ask."  

[Des Voh]

"I do hope it will not come to that, for the Republic's sake." Caisar replied with a solemn smile to the younger Jedi. The Marine led them over to a turbolift, activating the call button.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The ensign led the Ambassador and her contingent on out of the hangar and down a bulkhead hallway which eventually reached a large central turbolift for the ship. Stepping inside, the ensign waited for the rest of the party before pressing the button for the top deck.

A few moments later however, the turbolift stopped and the doors opened to reveal three men awaiting to board, a marine, a young man in plain clothes with a cane, and the last gentlemen stood in dark violet jedi robes. The marine saluted the ensign briefly, then stepped in with the two others, the marine taking place beside the ensign.

Caisar studied the woman in white curiously for a moment, but otherwise stayed silent and crossed his arms beneath his robes as he found a spot to stand as the tubolift rocketed upwards to the top deck, the whimsical repeatative music of the lift the only breaker of the silence.

Not more than a few moments later, the doors opened to display a wide open deck with viewports showing space in each direction, the fleet busying itself around the large mobile base, the two Hammerhead-class cruisers however blocked a good portion of the view on the two flanks of the ship. The ensign led the Ambassador's group out of the lift followed by the other group toward a large holographic display dominating the center of the chamber, where a stout zabrak, and the bothan from SIS stood beside a middle-aged human in the ranking Republic Navy uniform of a Captain looking over reports on the display before truing at the Bothan's nod to him as he saw the large group moving up to them.

As they approached, the ensign stepped forward and saluted the captain."Captain, Sir, the Ambassador." He stated, then stepped back out of the way of Thessa.

Just after that, the Marine stepped forward, saluted as well, then stepped back without a word. Caisar stepped forward.

"Ah, Ambassador Thessa, I presume?" The Captain stated with a smile stepping up and looking over her and her group."It is an honor to have you." He said politely with a slight bow before turning to look at Caisar."And Master Jedi Adonexus, I did not expect to see you up here..." He stated, looking toward Khyber curiously for one moment.

"I was hoping to discern the situation, Captain." Caisar replied plainly, then turned to Thessa."Though, it is a surprise see an Ambassador of the Republic here, so I assume it is quite important." He said giving her a low bow, his arm slipping out of the opening of his robe to cross his chest as he did so.

"I see," The Captain muttered, then nodded."Well, I am Captain Horris, Republic Navy and commander of this contingent, and the news is quite important and grave. The Ambassador I believe can shed some light on the events that have made it so, if she kindly would." The Captain said, then looked to her, stepping aside to award her a path toward the holographic map of the sector that already had several notes where Travnin was and several other systems in the sector.  

[Sayla-girl]

Thessa had disregarded the people who joined them on the Turbolift, but once they had filed out onto the command deck, She looked at them a bit closer. One of them was obviously a Jedi, and the other was someone in Dark Purple robes, a ...bold...choice of fashion. When this man was addressed as a Jedi, Thessa held her tongue, surprised to see a Jedi dress so gaudily. She offered a polite nod to this "Adonexus" fellow and turned her attention to the captain.

"Its Ambassador Vandreen, Captain. As I have just met you, I do not believe we are quite well enough acquainted to address each other on a first name basis." She shot a glance at her protocol droid who confirmed her statement with a nod, whereupon she then resumed speaking. "Now, unless you wish me to address you as Captain Steve from now on, I suggest you correct yourself from here on in. This is a Republic Navy Vessel, not a cattle boat to Shaum Hii."

Thessa then motioned to the controls of the Holoviewer and the Protocol Droid ambled over to make some adjustments to it, illustrating Thessa's observations as she addressed those assembled.

"Now, getting things back on course; To put it quite simply, the Governor of Travnin had allied himself with the Sith and attempted to hold me prisoner for his new masters while he fled the planet. As of noon on the Capital moon, 0700 hours Coruscant Standard Time, I believe a Sith Contingent entered the system, promptly routed the Naval forces over head, disrupted the satellite networks, and then just as promptly...fled. The forces they deployed involved one large ship and a number of mid sized ships..I believe five or six of the mid sized ones. They didn't take anything, they didn't issue any demands. They just arrived, shot up a few things, lost one of their own vessels, and left. By this time, my guards and I had successfully escaped the trap laid by Governor Galban Doros and had made it to my personal vessel. Now, my Captain of the Guard believes the actions of an Anti Piracy Task Force we encountered on our way out of the system may have been what caused the Sith to run."

She gestured to Captain Mai who cleared her throat and elaborated. "As we were leaving the system, we encountered a three ship task force lead by a hammerer class assault frigate. According to its Transponder signal, that ship was the Indefatigable of the 8th Defense Fleet. I believe the Sith may have thought it the vanguard of a much larger force and fled to avoid being trapped between the planet and an imaginary force of unknown size. Its the only reason I can come up with for why such an overwhelming force retreated when it had the upper hand."

Thessa nodded to her Captain and resumed.
"My advisors belive the Sith are attempting to gain a foothold in the cluster. While we have not discerned the reasons for attacking Travnin, I think it is safe to assume that they are, as we speak, attacking other worlds in the cluster. All this information has already been relayed to the Senate."
 

[Cale Darksun]

And as the Youth rushed forward to lock sabers with Cinn again, he was suddenly blasted back by a bolt of Crimson Lightning cast from Cinn's fingertips.
Steam curled from Cinn's fingers as he lowered his hand, and one could almost imagine the contemptuous smile beneath his sinister helmet.
"Its too late for Bravado now, boy. I have seen the best you can muster."
 

[Skyeborne]

"It is...unusual for the Sith to retreat so quickly, especially when the advantage is theirs," said Khyber, speaking up after listening intently to the ambassador's report. "Travnin is an important system to the Republic, and they could have done a great deal of damage with the forces they had. Even if they believed that more forces were in route, they could have easily maneuvered into a position that would have allowed them to continue their assault on the planet while leaving a viable exit.

No, it is much more likely that the Sith at Travnin never intended a serious attack at all. The only tactical value in such a move would be to distract our forces from defending other worlds in the Minos Cluster. While our defenses at Travnin are in obvious need of bolstering after this latest attack, I believe that the bulk of our energies should be devoted to the rest of the Cluster. We need to find out where they intend to strike next, and we need to know soon..."  

[lady_skuld]

The corporal took a glance at the sithlet. "You think you can navigate point?" she asked. She pointed her carbine forward. "If you can lead us, go for it."


Squad objectives:
- Secure an LZ.
- Shut down comm transmitters
- Destroy air defenses
- Remove the main communication tower.
- Secure spaceport  

[Nelowulf]

Knight-errant Jian Yakamura
Location: Thule
Personal Location: Canyon of the Long Winds - The Tomb of Lord Kosan
Accompanying People: None
Current Attire: http://phoenixlu.deviantart.com/art/Taoist-priest-146500461

Electricity. That wasn't easy enough to block, as Jian was surprised by the attack. He had hoped the warrior would have engaged him in melee; now that plan got shot out of the water. Still, despite the great skill the warrior had shown, Jian had been keeping his cards close to his chest on his own skills.

"I haven't shown you everything," he said, clutching his chest as he pushed himself up from the ground. He needed to get out of there. Summoning his energies, he jumped up, high up, to land onto the ledge behind him, the place the Hydra had first crawled up to get him.