Log:First Order: Dive to the Heart
First Order: Dive to the Heart
OOC Date: May 23, 2019 (Optional)
Location: Kohlma
Participants: First Order: Kylo Ren, Karys, Drath, Hadrix Rol, Dawud, Avery Ihala Kora, Saanvi; Knights of Ren: Oran Arcantael, Erisi Auslese, Ravelyn, and Aurine Vang
Once again the call to assemble had been abrupt and left little room for argument or delay, and once again Kylo had kept himself separate from the others during transit to their destination, sealing himself up in the cockpit apart from any questions about where or what. The manner of the summons was identical to the last outing when the mysterious figurine totem was recovered from Dathomir, and it was not a leap to assume this mission was connected.
The limited views provided from the shuttle interior show a dark, grey world, barren and lifeless. Perched on a ledge of the rock, a citadel of gloomy stone rises to meet them before they vanish beneath it, settling down on a spit of stone intended for just such a purpose. It is then that Kylo arrives from the cockpit, dressed again in his dark robes and already wearing his helmet. "Something is wrong." Without explaining further, a common and likely irritating trend, he stomps down the landing ramp into the area beyond, nearly swallowed by the dusky darkness, but the dim ethereal light prevents him from being lost entirely as he heads up the staircase towards the main chamber.
The area outside the shuttle is in disarray, the walls crumbling and decrepit, and the staircase Kylo is rapidly ascending looks little better.
Oran is here, and though this melancholy place seems no surprise to him - there's a familiarity about it - it's not long after following Kylo that he balks suddenly, as though suddenly garroted by a hidden wire. It happens at the same moment Kylo says something is wrong, and he grimly agrees, "Top of the stairs. Something is here and it does not have our best interests at heart."
Insanely irritating. But you wanna die? Eri does not. Instead she'll let her brows furrow a little behind the rim of her bright turqoise colored glasses, eyes closing but a moment before she's rising up out of her seat after a quick unbuckle, black leather robes dropping sagely around her. Yes, sagely, because they do so quietly, an echo of Erisi herself in moments like these. Where he tromps, she saunters, lips spread into a thin line, hands tucked into her pockets, soft bustling of fabric against ship floor, then ramp, announcing her to the elements. The coolness of the air beyond, and up past the courtuyatd to those stairs, and Eri is exhaling out a long note, wisps of dew drifting up and disappearing into the darkness as she heads up the stairs, "You're usually much more eloquent, Oran ..." Dryly murmured, Erisi hefting her robes up via pockets as she prances upwards after Kylo.
AV-1004 looks to the rest of the group with a shrug before jogging down the ramp and up the staircase to follow behind their leader. With the great and dazzling success he had in hitting anything during their last outing, 'Ten' has decided to up the chances and brought along a bit of a bigger weapon. He sports the gigantic T-21, sweeping the massive barrel from side to side, searching for anything out of place or anything seeming off. What he does notice are all the different functions on his new blaster rifle. <<"AV-1004, checking in. Following behind the Supreme Leader. Oooooh, this thing has burst AND kill... This should be a treat...">>
The landing rocks Karys where she stands with her hand in the strap that runs the supper rail at the back of the ship. Fingers curl to keep in her in place as her feet spread to help cushion the rocking motion that has her foot lifting briefly only to settle down. Unmoved really. Jostled yes but KS-0218 is already releasing the straps as the Supreme Leader moves through and she lets her head slowly rotate to follow his passage. Rolling her shoulders back her hands go to the pistols in their holsters at her hips. Her rifle is largely untouched and she hardly ever uses it will likely remain strapped to her back. She lifts her hadn to adjust her helmet and her voice modulates over the comms. <<"KS-0218 reporting.">> Systems check on her HUD done she moves forward, falling into line with the other troopers as she takes the moment to try to pick up anything on auditory gear. As Ten speaks she glances his way and falls into step down the ramp rather easily.
Drath keeps relatively quiet during the ride over, his usual habit of doing so before potentially dangerous situations continuing. Clad in his crimson armor, his E-11 maglocked to the back of his belt, a force pike is likewise maglocked on one side of his armor, keeping the cloak pushed a bit to the side to allow its presence without much issue. Standing as the ship touches down, a hand moves back beneath the red cloak to grasp the handle of his E-11. Drath brings it to bear as Kylo steps out of the cockpit.
No explanation is given, but no explanation is really needed either, and as Kylo passes by Drath turns in place and forms up behind and off to the left of the Supreme Leader. <<"Comm checks, Ninenty-One active.">> he chirps out, the warnings being met with a slight angling of his rifle further upwards to ensure it can be quickly brought to bear if said warnings turn out to be accurate.
<<"This is squad lead - Vanguard, fan out into escort postures">> Hadrix notes on his way down the ramp, moving to take up a positon on Erisi's flank, flamer at the ready as he clumps along, eyeing the rubble and debris about the area, lips pursing within his helmet. <<"Lot of cover points out here, eyes peeled.">>
Better a dead planet than one covered in disgusting, horrible life like Dathomir, right? Dawud flanks Erisi on her way up the stairs. << "Fifty-four active, protecting Knight assets." >> As they all pronounce an enemy present whom he does not see, despite a thorough examination, he has his rifle raised to his shoulder, sweeping the entrances and window apertures of this citadel. Are the Knights safer because of him, or is he safer because he's close to the Knights?
This time the call to action happened when Ravelyn was on base, and able to respond with the necessary swiftness that allows the armored knight to be a presence for this mission. It's been a while. The lack of information is not shocking, and when Kylo says something is wrong, that helmeted head inclines in acknowledgement. "Whatever it is, it very much does not have our best interests," comes the vocoded voice after Oran's assessment. Though it's not ignited just yet, one gloved hand grips the cylindrical lightsaber hilt.
"I can't see," Aurine admits grumpily. Her useless Hapan eyes fail her on this depressing planet. She's relying heavily on the crowd, squinting as she cautiously follows the group. "Erisi ... Oran ... someone?" Her long arms stretch out before her like a blind woman without a cane helping her to prevent bumping into anything. Much like her fellow Force friends, she too senses the impending danger. That plus her disdain for the dark is making her nervous. Irritated she simply states, "Just don't leave me behind."
Saanvi brings up the rear, in such numbers her hand is on her weapon but she doesn't not draw it. A thoughtful ponderance comes calmly through the comms <<If one had to classify it beyond unfriendly, how might it be classified?>>
At the top of the stairs, a long hallway awaits them, lined on both sides with mysterious stone figures, their features softened by age but imposing nonetheless, stone dishes of blue fire held out before them, casting the antechamber in eerie, unnatural ambience. Kylo stands in the midst of the hallway, his mottled chrome mask hiding his expression, but the permanent scowl seems appropriate.
Between the Supreme Leader and the door stands a dark, withered husk in the shape of a humanoid, a horned skull worn over the head and face obscuring everything but a pair of faintly glowing blue eyes. "Dark one," he murmurs, his voice two sheets of dry parchment rubbing together. "You should not have returned. The grave fields are stirring once more, as they did in times past. Some other has come. One grown darker still. Can you not feel their lust for blood seeping into these stones?" The words dry up in a wheezy cough, overruled by a throaty, feminine laugh that by now will be familiar to most all those present, rippling through the corridor and echoing from the stone surfaces.
Kylo's helmeted head snaps towards the perceived source of the sound. "Enough games. It is time to finish this."
Oran rolls his eyes at Erisi. "With my usual infallible and supernatural perspicacity," the Coruscanti knight rephrases, "I sense that based on the danger at the top of the stairs, we're probably about to ugly die. Are you happy now? Everyone's a critic." Like Rave, he has saber in hand, but not ignited. But ready to panic and fire it up when the reason for panic becomes clear. As for Aurine's plea not to be left behind, he pauses and seems to give it genuine thought. "You don't need your eyes, Vang, you need to see with something less likely to deceive you. Embrace the darkness and use the Force to guide your way." Shrug. "Or stay near the Vanguard, they have lights."
Up in the antechamber, he pauses, perhaps caught off guard by the Elder, or by the notion of grave fields stirring. There are a number of things graves should not do and 'stir' is chief among them. Unsettled, he turns toward the sound of laughter, but seems to find no target as yet.
"That wasn't an invitation to become verbally effusive." Erisi says quietly to Oran, uncharacteristically short, hands withdrawing from pockets to slip into either sleeve of her robes. She has no lightsaber, and has deigned not to bring any weapon with her. Her shoulders are tight, back straight, color drained from her cheeks, hazel eyes holding a shade of worry.
Avery rotates as he moves, scanning the stone creations for any sign of life above, behind, or if possible in them. The sound of laughter raises the hairs on the back of his neck and he keeps his head on a swivel constantly readjusting to try to prevent their foe from getting the drop on the Vanguard. <<"Yes.... lights, we do have lights.">> And he activates his, beams from his armor flaring to life to illuminate the area in front of him... as if that would help. <<"I've got a bad feeling about this...">> He swivels the huge weapon, barrel poking into each nook and cranny, waiting for their enemy to make their presence known so that he may squeeze his toy's trigger and send a hail of blaster fire raining upon them.
The call from Knight Aurine draws Karys attention and letting the others pull ahead of her she stops enough to reach her. Her voice tumbles out of the modulator slightly blurred. "I have you, I will walk beside and direct you as needed," Karys remarks and then turns her attention ahead and out snap her pistols as she helps guide Aurine to a vantage point where they will not afford crossfire of any kind for those head of them. It angles them out a bit but keeps them in the fight. "Ahead, not far there is a ...corpse." That is what Eighteen can describe of the creature without really getting finer details. "Likely will be engaging." This is said lowly so has to broadcast movements.
Her pistols are pointed up but her arm starts to coil down. <<"Covering Knight Aurine.>> This offered to the rest of the Vanguard.
<<"Copy, Lead.">> Drath chirps back over the comms, though to be honest, with the number of Knight Assets along today the odds of them needing help are rather slim. Other than Aurine with the sight issues, anyway, which Karys seems to be taking care of. As the squad stalks forward and up those stairs, Drath turns his rifle to the side slightly, checking the mode and cell capacity before returning his attention fully to the task at hand. Drath personally doesn't have any lights, though his armor is quite freshly cleaned, the plates that were destroyed during the last outing having been replaced recently.
Softly, a snicker leaves Drath inside his helmet at the jesting between Oran and Erisi, though that doesn't reach the comms. It's a welcome comic relief before the dreadful feeling that comes over him as they step into the foyer properly, and that laugh is heard once again in the air. Rifle raised defensively towards the Elder, Drath takes a moment to scan out slowly in an arc on the left side from the alien, eyes searching through that opressive darkness for any signs of an ambush.
Staring up at the figure speaking to Ren, and then to the others. Hadrix grumbles and noting Aurine's trouble he disconnects the wrist light from his armor, "Knight Vang, this will help." tossing the maglock light towards the the Hapan woman, turning it and under arm lobbing it, so that she can clearly see it.
He resists the urge to shudder, though his skin is slick with a flopsweat. He would swallow but then he would give voice to his unease, inside his helmet, Hadrix speaks one of the conditioning phrases, letting the trained responses calm him.
"Hammer of the First Order we are the mailed fist that strikes back against the evil that threatens to swallow the galaxy, warriors given over for higher purpose, chosen for higher purpose. I am the vengence of the Supreme Leader and will deny him nothing by battering down those that would dare..." he breathes, there is fear still, tightly controlled, but hate and anger well within him. An affront has been made to what he believes in. An affront that will be cleansed in fire.
At the laughter, Dawud reexamines the room. He narrows his profile by turning sideways and brings his rifle to bear on one corner of the room, where a shadowy figure lurks, easily missed in the darkness. The Supreme Leader spoke of ending this; other Knights spoke of a presence that meant them ill. And here is a figure lying in wait. He doesn't wait to be ambushed. <<"Enemy in corner. Engaging.">> And he fires, though the shot hits the stone, chips flying out.
"Infallible?" Ravelyn choose that word out of everything Oran says, both amused and objecting to that particular descriptor. Everyone is a critic. And just like the man being criticized, the armored knight pauses to look back at Aurine, the helpless hapan held hostage by her hereditary inheritance of poorly functioning eyeballs. "Make sure she doesn't walk off anything dangerous," the knight says to the Vanguard nearby, even though they've got it in hand and the instruction is totally unnecessary, then turns to move up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, Ravelyn too pauses to survey and take in their surroundings, the angle of the helmet pausing while aimed at a tapestry. "We've got another friend back there." A nod is made in the direction of the tapestry.
"You know what, /you/ try walking around with the threat of danger tingling up your spine while being completely unable to see what's ahead," Aurine replies testily to Oran. Her kind face is contorted with impatience. "And then come back, tell me how you feel, and I'll get you the medication we all know you need." Seems like all the Knights are on edge.
Aurine's long arm stretches out toward the voice of Karys who offers to assist her. "Thank you both," the expression is terse but still sincere as her hand rests on the soldier's shoulder. And as small as it is, Avery's light seems to calm her like a night light. Unfortunately for her, the foreboding cackle of the old hag sounds just as Hadrix tosses his light over. The Knight awkwardly fails to catch it and it falls to the floor shattering as Dawud calls out an enemy. "Kriff...," she grips Karys' shoulder even tighter.
Saanvi frowns within her helmet. She too has a light handy but she's not about to engage in something as inefficient as holding it in her hand, she has her light secured to her armor by a vellcro strap on the right shoulder so it is in line with her primary arm and will line up when she shoots and as she treats patients. Maybe it was an idea better in theory than practice as she spins about once in spot and does not spot a foe.
One by one the lurking opponents are spotted, and in turn each creeps into more plain view, dressed in assorted black garments with various bits of armor, also black, strapped over vital areas. Two carry what appear to be vibroblades, but the blade portion is painted a garish red, while the others hold military-grade rifles. All of them have their faces concealed with black masks, not even eyes visible, just opaque black glass staring back at the Vanguard and Knights.
"Kylo never liked games," the feminine voice chuckles, hard and cold in the stone hallway, continuing whatever trick allows it to come from all directions. "Except for one game. Lying. He's probably lied to all of you. Did he tell you who I am? That I betrayed him?" More laughter, while the Supreme Leader continues casting about, reaching into the shadows with his mind, unable to pinpoint her just yet. "He was always jealous of me. Afraid of me. Slipped into my room with a knife when he thought I was asleep!" The accusation rings loud in the chamber as the shadowy figures prowl into a circle around the party.
"There," Kylo's processed voice breathes, staring up at a hole in the ceiling.
The reason it's dark in here is because of all the SHADE that Oran is catching from the lady KOR up in here. Fortunately he is used to seeing in the dark though, because his head is always up his.......
Thoughts of banter scatter like frightened birds as soon as Dawud engages an enemy he's spotted, and with a snap-hiss, the saber springs to life. "How is that meant to be a compelling argument?" Ruanna did startle that much out of him. "Every interaction we've had has led to the impression that you're an eminently stab-worthy person. But make another play at sympathy, truly, we're listening." It's on, and the saber lashes out toward one of the Shadow Warriors, without mercy.
The reason it's dark in here is because of all the SHADE that Oran is catching from the lady KOR up in here. Fortunately he is used to seeing in the dark though, because his head is always up his.......
Thoughts of banter scatter like frightened birds as soon as Dawud engages an enemy he's spotted, and with a snap-hiss, the saber springs to life. "How is that meant to be a compelling argument?" Ruanna did startle that much out of him. "Every interaction we've had has led to the impression that you're an eminently stab-worthy person. But make another play at sympathy, truly, we're listening." It's on, and the saber lashes out toward one of the Shadow Warriors, without mercy.
"You sound like a spurned lover." Erisi states, following it up with a flatly delivered, "Boring." However keenly Erisi is aware of the danger to their lives she in moments of dire stress tends to channel her mother. Bitchy. Curt. Hazel eyes shift as she takes a few sweeping steps around, trying to focus on those dark figures within the darkness. The cool air prickles at her flesh, jaw muscles tight, deep down in the pickles of her heart wanting to reach out with encouragement to her fellow KOR, but her survival instincts have kicked in which means words are few as she tries to focus her energy into using the force to try and fry what she thinks she sees.
Bzzzt.
A poor fly is incinerated instead of the figure she thought she was focusing on, a tiny bright light of bright blue flashing briefly in am indication of the flies death. Still a win. Damn flies.
As the armored opponents begin creeping in from the surrounding darkness, Avery locates the closest and kneels, sighting down the length of the barrel to focus in on one. <<"Let's see how she does...">> He quips, the trigger depressed and the weapon blazing to life. Three bolts scream from the end of the barrel and slam into the wall distinctly no where near the approaching bad guy. The force of the blast caught the trooper by surprise, throwing his aim well wide of the target. <<"Wooo! Ok! Packs a kick!">>
As Aurine drops the light, Karys is momentary distracted with that hand comes back to her shoulder. Fire fills the air and she lift sher pistols, follow Avery's shot towards his target. Might as well try to take out the same one but with the new found extra appendage on her form she can't seem to quite hit, even though a couple of shots sear just past the intended target. Gritting her teeth as she misses all shots with her pistol and narrows her gaze. Grumbling inside her helmet she then says to the Knight beside her. "Please my back or hup for the moment. Easier to move and shoot. Are you well?" She is already picking out her tatget again for her next volley as the rest of the Vanguard begins taking their pot shots.
The squad begins to open fire, likely as a result of those darker warriors creeping towards them from the shadows. <<"Focus fire!">> the Trooper calls out over the comms, and considering the number of them, they can perfectly well decide to focus on two enemies at once! They're here in force, after all. Unfortunately, Stormtroopers are living up to their Galactic Empire counterparts for the time being, and as Drath begins to spit fire with his E-11 all of the bolts soar past the shadow warrior counterpart to the one Oran just bisected with his blade. The Tuk'ata was actually sort of easier to hit than these ones!
"Got your back, Miss Auslese." Hadrix keeps his posture near the pyrokinetic, and adds his flames to hers, flame rifle raised and spraying the glowing gel that causes the air arround it to waver like melting wax and scream as water in the air is flash-boiled to steam. If anything strikes its not significant.
A weaving pool of multicolored solidified fire that splashes illumination like acetone to blank paint, removing gloom and lighting everything near by in flickering like water reflected from pool water.
As the fight spreads to all corners of the room, Dawud pulls the trigger and sends a few more bolts towards the dark soldier in the corner. The long-ranged enemy is perhaps more a Vanguard responsibility than a Knight one, but while the soldier might have to duck and weave, no shot from finds purchase in anything but the stone. It is a dark time on a dark planet, in the darkness. Is being Hapan contagious?
There is an audible sight transmitted via vocoder as the familiar feminine voice taunts them from all sides, only looking up after noticing the angle of Kylo's gaze. "If you have something worthwhile to say, I suggest you do so quickly," Ravelyn advises the mysterious woman, simultaneously depressing the button on the lightsaber, the ominous red blade crackling to life and casting even more of a red hue on everything around them. The others are attacking, and the armored knight wastes no time jumping into the frey, a few long strides forward and then the lightsaber cuts a deadly arc through the air, striking one of the warriors, sparks adding to the light show as armor is connected with, and then cut through.
GREAT. DARK ENEMIES. PERFECT. Aurine loves facing a group of deadly shadows that she can hardly make out in the flashing light of everyone's weapons. Jk, she doesn't like it at all. It's obvious by the way she coils behind Karys for protection. "Sorry, sorry!" the Knight apologizes for the panic grip and instead moves to place a hand on KS-0218's back as suggested. At this point Aurine can see well enough, but having the soldier near gives her some comfort. "Y-yes, I'm fine. I can sort of see better now..." And before Karys' missed target can get back at them, the Knight flicks her wrist to swipe a Dark Soldier out of the way. Only it does nothing. She squints, thinking perhaps she's swiping at air, but she really can't make out her target well at all.
Saanvi hears focus fire but not a target. Not that she can even see many of the targets. She spots one target flutter along the edge of her pool of light from her flashlight and fires but there is still the sense she doesn't SEE any of her foes clearly yet.
The battle is joined, and the dark-garbed, dark armored warriors, a sort of reflection of the Vanguard and Knights, give as good as they get. Two are downed by the lightsabers of the Knights, their bodies falling in smoking heaps to the worn stone floor. Those with blasters take careful aim at the Vanguard, using the statues and other debris for cover, their movements practiced and methodical. Two more red-blade wielders emerge from the shadows, lashing out with weapons that hum in deadly harmony.
Ignoring all of this, Kylo strides back towards the stairwell that leads up as well as down while Ruanna, their mysterious quarry, continues to speak down at them. "In time he would have betrayed you as well," the rich voice hints darkly, subtly amused. "My servants will grant you the mercy of being spared that injustice. Every moment from this day forward you will spend in fear, not knowing what waits in the next shadow."
Oran dispatches the first of the shadow warriors he encounters with swipes that cut both the warrior and its weapon summarily into pieces - but wait, there's more! There are more of them, rushing out even as Ruanna continues to speak in her smug, pitying monologues. This time, Oran isn't faster, the other fighter is, and his feet get kicked out from under him -- he hits the floor, and then the vibroblade comes down, summarily skewering him to the floor like a specimen under glass on Saanvi's desk.
He seems surprised.
Blood is everywhere, dribbling out the corner of his mouth, pouring out his midsection, spreading in a worrying pool. The blade pulls free, but the shadow warrior is robbed of his moment of self congratulation by the last lash of the saber from the short dying dude. He's cut off at the knees, then at the neck, and then Oran's managed to bury his dying ass under a pile of some other dead guy. It's not how he wanted to go. Muffled, "nooooooo.."
"Oh good Lady." Erisi says head tilting back slightly into the pillowed hood connected to her cloak, laughing dryly, left hand coming up to limply press knuckles in against her collarbone, "If by your own words we are to die /now/, there is no 'day forward'. Please figure out if you are killing us tonight, or simply torturing us with your continued blathering so that we're driven to kill ourselves."
A glance off to the side as Oran is taken down, jaw tensing even more (her dentist must love her), nostrils flaring every so slightly, the sound of Hadrix's comforting voice coming from behind her, a brief nod of acknowledgment to the trooper and a quick glance over her shoulder to let him know she hears him. Hand lifts away from her chest, coming up as she flexes fingertips away from palm, turning it towards the shadows as she makes a calculated guess, exhaling out as a faint glow begins driving through her veins, so very subtle, enough that she might just be sweaty and the available light from blades drawn highlights it. Actually, it's probably that. Hazel eyes narrow as she sweeps her palm up, one of the dark soldiers lighting up like a flammable sheet, other hand coming to rise as she readies for another attack, "Oran --" Said as she steps off towards him defensively, "I can smell his blood." Good job, in other words. Nevermind Orans own that mingles.
As Avery is lining up for a second volley, blaster fire strikes his left leg from the side, seering into his armor and knocking him off balance. He grunts as he has to brace with his arm, losing precious seconds to line up his aim for the next attack. The rookie grits his teeth against the flare of pain in his lower appendage, refusing to look at the damage until after the fight is done. He's not going to go down in front of the Supreme Leader, this time he's going to show him that he made the right choice in selecting him for his Vanguard, he's going to prove his worth! AV-1004 ignores the taunts from the shadow and narrows his emerald eyes, peering through the visor and squeezing the trigger on the T-21. He braces for the kick as the gun flares to life sending three more bolts soaring through the air to chip the wall next to the advancing dark armored enemy. Avery grimaces hoping the shards of stone at least scratched the baddies' paint job.
Even as she says the words the return fire from one of the warriors clips Karys badly, slamming into her right bicep and likely through most of the tissue of her arm. She grunts, backstepping as her body turns with the force of it. The smell of melding armor and bodyglove accompanies the cry inside the helmet as the pain begins to travel up her limb to the trunk of her body. She gasps, panting inside as she turns her head. The right arm falls a little useless at her side and swings her left up to shoot off. But she's blinking past the pain at the moment and she growls loudly again. "RIGHT SHOULDER. Take it.." she rumbles out to Aurine as she can't seem to hit the broadside of anything at all
Karys spreads her stance a bit, trying to keep from wobbling as she lets her right shoulder slump a bit and focus on using the left pistol.
This battle is rough, different than most of the minor skirmishes the Vanguard gets into, and Drath is beginning to realize this. The sudden downing of Oran, the injuring of Avery and Karys, it turns the battle from a briefly beginning melee into something more dangerous. The soldier lit up by Erisi makes a wonderful target, and as the Trooper begins to move forward to at least attempt to cover Karys and Avery's side, he opens fire on it, sending numerous bolts careening into the already scorched figure to send them into the next life. Shifting his aim, Drath opens fire on the next, the slim HUD of his helmet assisting in keeping track as more bolts soar into another soldier's torso. The air is filling with the smell of blood, burns, and scarbon scoring, lending the scent of a battlefield to the soldiers.
Head turning suddenly, seeing Oran go down something snaps and Hadrix, and he seems to have similar thoughts to the pyromaniac as he looks to Erisi, "Follow me." Nothing else said and he beginsto move towards the downed man's form, trying not to abandon the knight, but his movements are clearly mean to draw her with him.
<<"Eighty five! Medic needed! Knight Arcantael critically injured!">> The rage in him is building, and his voice is becoming a barking growl. On instinct he opens fire on the target Drath had selected, more a cover action than anything as he tries to get where he can stand over the small man, shoulders rising and falling heavily as he looks for targets.
Some soldiers might resent being ignored by the enemy they're firing at. Dawud does not. He takes the opportunity carefully look down the sight, confirm with his HUD, and lets a bolt fly straight into that dark trooper, to seemingly-little effect. He growls, hearing the comm chatter indicating wounds and worse as he slowly steps back into a corner of his own.
Ravelyn successfully cuts down one opponent, only just recovered from that attack before the armored knight suddenly spins out of the way, managing to avoid a sword that the warrior swipes down through the air where the knight was only moments before. Using that momentum, the turn becomes an attack and the lightsaber swings around to hit the warrior. One successful strike, and then Ravelyn chances a second, bringing the blade back in the other direction, but this time it sizzles harmlessly past the quarry, WHOOSH. At least it made a cool sound in the process. A risky glance is taken back at the place where Oran fell, a few retreating steps serving a dual purpose of putting a little distance between the knight and the sword that will likely be attacking soon, and also to help keep Oran from meeting an early demise. Or to see if anything nice fell out of his pockets. Either way the result is basically the same.
Holy crap! Karys' arm! Aurine's hand was JUST on that arm! The therapist's eyes widen as the limb practically dangles off of Karys' body and her disbelief grows as the solider simply takes it and continues on. "You're hit! Y-you need to stop! You need help! S-someone help her!" she helplessly calls to Saanvi. The sounds in Aurine's ears dull and she finds herself frozen stiff as Vanguard and Force friends alike get hit around her. Overwhelmed by the smells and the sounds, she's only snapped back into reality when Karys commands her and the Knight mindlessly obeys to grip the soldier's right shoulder tightly. Perhaps its the adrenaline, but one Dark Soldier suddenly comes into focus, and afraid to let the soldier get hit again, Aurine swipes her wrist downward to swat at it telekinetically.
Saanvi hears the tell-tale sounds of casualties and grabs another flashlight to do a quick in sweep of the wounded. <<Medic en route>> Fortunately HAdrix's alert spared her having to scrutinize the casualties in the darkness and chaos to determine triage. At least not yet anyway. She lopes and ducks through, stepping over lesser wounded to kneel beside Oran "IT is Saanvi, Knight. Please try to remain calm and conscious." faster than a gunslinger at high noon the well practiced motions of saline, clamps, gauze, tape. IT is abundantly clear Oran's not getting back up soher focus is on staving off bloodloss and keeping him alive rather than temporary patching to get him back in the fight. <<Casualties sound off for medical attention.>> as she finishes doing what she can for ORan.
Disappearing up the stairs to go deal with Ruanna, Kylo vanishes from sight while the fighting continues.
The red-sword warriors whose weapons seem to be an imitation or callback to the same ones they are now fighting against put up as good a fight as most ever have against the Knights, a humming blade lashing back out at Ravelyn after she all but shears his arm off.
Those with blasters are also being picked off, one falling dead on the floor while his finger spasms on the trigger, blasting Dawud from across the room.
The Vanguard and Knights are on their own without commentary from Oran, unconscious as Saanvi unburies him and triages - then moves on to the next victim in need of her help. But now he won't die on the door in this strange, decrepit citadel, so he's got that going for him! His saber rolls out of hand and toward Drath. roll roll roll.
"It is fine, Knight Aurine," Karys says in a highly strained voice. Her arm is not responding and finally that pistol once held in it clatters to the floor and goes untouched. She shudders and grunts as she barely feels Aurine touch her. There is something on her shoulder but what it is she does not know. She focuses though, but her left hand is shaking as she sights down it. No amount of extra aid from her HUD is helping as another shot whiffs just past the Shadow Warrior and slams into the wall next to it. Sweat is beading to fall into her eyes inside the helmet, causing her focus to falter further. She sways a moment on her feet but manages to stay upright as she basically becomes a living shield for the Knight of Ren attached to her.
"End him..." This said to Aurine after her shots, hoping to have lit him up. <<"Eighteen hit. Loss of use of arm. Still standing. Move on.">> She reported to medical at least but others are getting tagged by the unholy creatures.
Erisi will follow Hadrix, quickly stepping with him to keep in line with the man who has no doubt saved her arse on many trips before. Step, step, each foot goes over the other as she does a side-ways backwards step to come near Oran, right hand now raised up as she readies to send another fiery lobby at whoever is left shooting. Her friend is down and her rage has boiled up. She's ready. Do you see it in the curl of her lip and the gritted baring of teeth, freckles daintly harbored beneath narrowed gaze until 'tink tink tiiink', a glance given to her side as Oran truly goes down into an unconscious heap, his lightsaber rolling out towards Drath.
Cockblock.
Sorry Drath. Not sorry.
Eri quickly crouches down to catch the rolling un-ignited blade in her right hand and sweep it up, rising up from her crouch as she stares at it briefly. Her lips relax as breath catches in her throat and casually she presses her thumb down to ignite it, face cast in a deep red glow, hazel eyes widening as she stares at the thing like 3 inches from her face.
"Whoa." A soft breath interrupted as she's suddenly shot at by Dark Soldier 3, something in her gut having alerted her but a moment before, the woman crouching down again with a twist to look over at the dude, Orans lightsaber in hand.
A decision is made, and an apology set for later, Erisi launching out of that crouch to swing wildly at the man who shot at her, "Crap, hold on, I am way better than this ...sorry." Said in brusque apology even as she brings left hand to clutch the handle of her borrowed saber, gaining control. A sudden smile of satisfaction, gaze lifting to the soldiers face who is no doubt readying to shoot at her again, the red humming lightsaber brought in through the soldiers middle, severing him as the tip of the blade hits the ground to her left as she sinks down defensively, waiting for him to rise up again, "Whoa." A whisper to herself, gaze shifting to Orans blade with wonder. She's never used a real one, "So that's what a real one feels like." Again, soft whisper, Eri caught in a moment.
Drath might've picked that saber up, if he had any idea at all how to actually use the kriffing thing. But he doesn't, the brief movement of the little piece of metal drawing his attention for only a moment before Drath's focus moves back to the battle at hand. Footwork continuing to take him in the direction of Karys and Aurine, he eventually makes it to the side of them, a knee planting itself on the stone floor with an armored clack as another volley of fire is given towards the last remaining opponent that's not burned to a crisp, bi or tri sected, or just shot full of holes in the room. "Hang in there, Karys. You've had worse." he assures the other Trooper, a brief glance of his crimson helmet being given back to Aurine to ensure her good health as well being given. "I got your flank."
Oran is in good hands, Erisi has a lightsaber, and Hadrix is upset. The one responsible for his rage is down, and others are falling. Hadrix turns towards the blade carrying man and throws his shoulders back. A snarling barking sound comes from his externals.
He points at the man, and nods several times before he takes off, motion assist servos screaming. Left arm cocking back, telegraphing the hit before he swings, violently in a thrust, his right hand, jamming the nozzle of his flamer through armorglass and into the mouth of the blade carrier. Those empathically sensative near him able to feel waves of hate and anger pouring off of him like a slow fountain, it trails after him in the charge, and it becomes victorious elation as he presses the firing stud and begins immolating the enemy from within.
Molten fire illuminates the cheeks, throat, and stomach before flesh and bone boil away and the body snaps apart as it burns, the remnants of the torso that can cling to his gun shaken off, sent sailing trailing blood and the stuff that suns are made of.
One dark soldier down in a fusillade of blaster shots, but Dawud doesn't even have the time to smile before that man's reflexive final shot hits him in the side of the head, charring the armor as some of it shatters away to ablate the heat and force. He is still standing somehow for a moment, but his knees buckle and his rifle drops from its at-ready position, and despite the death-grip his left hand has on the barrel of the F-11D, it's apparent before he hits the ground that he's unconscious. The hard smack of his armor into dark stone is just the exclamation point. No medical confirmation comes over the comms, just silence.
Ravelyn knew looking away from the target was ill-advised, especially after almost cutting off one of his arms, but it's too late to take back that choice, or the resulting slice right into the meat of the thigh that follows. There's a stunned gasp as the knight staggers back, unable to prevent the inevitable fall as the injured leg doesn't want to hold weight anymore. Down goes another knight, this one landing with a formidable crash that suggests there is more than just ghost in this shell. The blood that leaks out from the gash in the armor also pretty well dispels the idea that Ravelyn is but black metal and spirit. "Kriffffffff." The guttural complaint is voiced quietly, given more edge by the vocoder that transmits it out to the rest of the room. The knight isn't at risk of immediate death, but the injury smarts pretty severely. At least the warrior died on fire, that makes it all hurt just a tiny bit less.
Aurine Vang keeps her grip on Karys, still rather shaken by the injury just inches away from her fingertips. "It's not fine, do you even feel this?" she squeezes harder, and then turning to the other trooper she insists, "Drath, she needs help. Immediately." But with all going on, she's unsure how soon a medic can get to them. So she grabs the woman's other shoulder, taking deep breaths and closing her eyes to channel some healing energy. But a shot is fired, Dawud goes down and Aurine is far too disturbed by the sight to give it any further attempt. "Oh..."
Saanvi checks Oran's vitals. and then unslinks a rolld up bit of canvast tucked snug against the side of her pack. It's purpose made clear as she carefully rolls Oran's frame onto it and uses it to drag the knight with her to proceed over towards Dawud rather than leave Oran unconscious and untended in an active combat zone. She kneels beside Dawud once she's close enough and gets to work once more shucking gloves, tugging on new gloves and stopping the bleeding before dressing the wound.
As the current cadre of their dark reflections is finished off, their leaders on both sides are nowhere to be seen.
There is no explosion or loud crash of weapons above them, no more scintillating laughter dropping from that small hole in the ceiling. Merely a low rumble, a sprinkle of crumbling mortar, and then the rocks themselves rip apart and the ceiling collapses down on them.
BONK. And just like that Erisi is humbled down by the Universe as the ceiling crashing down and she gets hit in the head, ceiling tile/slab hitting her just above her ear and glancing down to slice dat ear through the cartiledge. Eri hisses in pain, snapping her free hand up over the ear which is conveniently on the same side so she's not reaching across her head like an idiot, or bashing herself in the face with the lightsaber. She hisses and begins to cough as the rubble kicks up massive amounts of dust and other particulates in the air, her visage ashen from the same debris, hair all mucked up, ear bleeding and a scowl upon her features. JUST ONCE. She wanted a moment JUST ONCE. The lightsaber gently humms and thrums as dust swirls in around it and finds itself lit up, small sparks floating around like angry little motes.
What is going on? She feels Aurine take hold of her left shoulder as the last foe falls and she glances aside to Drath. The question in her eyes can not be seen but she's not about to shrug off the Knight. Something is happening but whatever it was meant to be does not last and she feels the rumble as it travels through the structure. It's exactly sound and she can tell, turning about slightly as she pushes to the side, forgeting her pistol on the ground in favor of helping move with Aurine away from the thicker chunks. <<"Ninety-one?>> she says as her right arm sort of swings on its own accord at her side and becomes suddenly crunched beneath her as she tries to shield her vitals from the mass that is coming down. Harmless smaller pieces hit and slide off with no affect before she pushes herself up to her knee and grunts, straining a moment as she glances aside to the unmoving limb.
Climbing to her feet she glances first to Aurine. "Knight Aurine?" that is asked first and then she is heaving breaths, wincing as the pain is starting to blur her vision.
"Help is not always readily available, Aurine." Drath responds to the Knight. "Sometimes encouraging words are better until medical arrives." he explains, watching as that last dark warrior is downed in a gout of flames. Turning at the waist to scan the room, the threat doesn't come from around them, but from above this time. Just barely catching the first rock to fall and hit Erisi out of the corner of his eye, Drath draws his limbs back from where his rifle was extended and tucks them closely to his armor as he leans in towards Karys and Aurine when the rocks begin to fall.
Smaller pieces clack and roll off his armor, but Drath weathers it well enough, mostly thanks to said armor considering a large piece smacks into his back before tumbling to the ground, sending a grunt through his system. <<"Eighty-Five, Eighteen is in need of medical assistance.">> he chirps over the comms, a quick scan to his side being done to ensure the safety of Karys and Aurine post-rockfall.
Cieling collapsing, rocks falling. Hadrix feels one slam into his shoulder, and even reflect on his helmet. He raises one arm to protect his neck as he stalks back to the others, shifting and leaping out of the way of falling masonry.
He drops to a kneeling posture, arms crossing over his head and neck until it stops. Looking down to see the one that had downed Oran...
<<"Lead, Vanguard - sound off... 904 up.">> Is said oer comms as he plants one booted foot on the body and latches his hands around the head, pulling and standing hard enough that his servos whine, tearing the head off with a wet snap of sinew, gristle, and bits of spine dangling as he nods - satisfied... almost too satisfied for those who can feel such empathically.
As if things weren't bad enough, now the place is falling apart. Literally. Worst. Headquarters. Ever. Ravelyn is already on the ground and isn't able to do a lot more than curl up and be as small a target as possible while one hand raises to do... nothing. Nothing at all. It's a futile gesture made as the world crumbles, which seems right. The arm drops, perhaps expecting something to happen, rocks to fall and everyone to die. Ravelyn has no idea if others die, but at least right now, somehow, the Knight has been spared further injury.
Encouraging words. Right. Aurine instead shifts to stand in front of Karys, a hand still on each shoulder as she assures the trooper, "You're gunna be fine." Only Aurine's face says 'everything is kriffed, say goodbye to your arm.'
As the sky falls on these chicken littles, the knight moves with Karys who, truth be told, is leading her through the dance of dodging the rocks until she comes out of it completely unscathed.
Saanvi grunts and siftly shifts what she's doing, having just applied a clamp t stop dawud's bleeding she pivots on her knees to Oran who's laid out along a wall and she positions her body oover his facing the wall with her arms over her head, body at a 90 degree angle so the path of least resistannce is tumbling off her shoulders/back rather than through her bones and squishy body. Who says NERD isn't a super power?!
Dusty, furious, and denied his opponent, Kylo Ren emerges from the wreckage of the fallen ceiling in a cloud of said dust, pushing stone bricks away with his boots, having fallen down with them and landed amongst the rubble. A fresh dent crowns his helmet as he looks around at his followers from behind the mask. "She's escaping," he announces flatly, making his way over the new debris and shoving the double door open wide to reveal a small agile craft rising up out of the grave fields outside. That is not the only thing rising up from the grave fields, as dim red eyes, one pair, then two, then four, then ten stare back towards the citadel doors. "...we have to leave." The doors are promptly slammed shut, and the Supreme Leader heads back towards the stairwell to return to the shuttle.
