Log:Iridonia: Celebration
A celebration of Sesti Greystorm's ascension from Representative to Senator of Iridonia is met by an attack by dissident elements.
OOC Date: November 14, 2021
Location: Iridonia
Participants: Ambrosia Greystorm, Calista Alastair, Erik, Erinn Laski, Fjord Alden, Hadrix Kora, Jax Greystorm, Kael Greystorm, Nerys Greystorm, Sesti Greystorm as Self/GM, Tharyn Corlas
[ Sesti Greystorm (Sesti)]
There are more banners than usual hanging from the levels to the two sides of the city, and some have even been strung between the natural columns that reach to the roof overhead. The light from the skylights filters through them, casting stained glass colors on the milling crowds below. City workers were all over the inside of the cavern in the past days, as the Senator and some of the Elders of the most prominent clans of the Iridonian colonies were expected to be in attendance. The Elders of Taret Tira, and indeed, the citizens as well, were determined that there be no trace or indication of this being a 'dirty' industrial city.
A floating stage at one end of the city contains Senator Greystorm and Elder Gath, as well as the elders of a couple other major clans. Once they are settled, with Sesti in her formal pale blue robes that she wears for her senate duties to the front, the repulsor lifts kick into gear. People begin to turn as it rises just above the heads of the crowd, and the hubbub of the daily existence in the stalls below comes to a pause. Sesti looks around, one hand resting on top of the ornamental cane that Jax gave her when she accepted political duties for her people.
[ Nerys Greystorm (Nerys)]
Nerys, who had thought ahead, despite her usual ease with most environments, or, perhaps showing a marked understanding ODF her environment, stood not far from the floating stage, armored and helmed, having not bothered with a makeshift rebreather. She was, oddly, without her usual droid companion, and stood watching the group gathered on the stage with obvious interest and attention. Whatever it was they were celebrating today seemed about to begin.
[ Erinn Laski (Laski)]
The New Republic military would likely have sent some officers to bare witness to the inclusion of Iridonia into the senate. A promise of protection, or an olive branch, or some combination therein. Erinn Laski is one of the officers sent, though it would be difficult to tell that much given her current attire. A semi-formal black dress covers her torso, waist, hips, and legs. It cuts off mid-calf, with a vertical slice running along her leg and towards the thigh high enough to allow for a bit of movement. She's got white wedges on her feet, but even their modest height seems to be at least slightly challenging for her to step in.
"These heels are obnoxious," she says sideways to another young man, dressed sharply in a navy suit and orange bow-tie. He puts his arm out for her to take, and she obliges, allowing herself to be walked arm-in-arm to a location to observe the event as it proceeds.
"You clean up nice, Sir," the man accompanying her says.
Erinn smiles over to him in a bit of a toothy grin. "Not too shabby yourself, Mueller. I'm surprised you could find a shirt that fits your big head."
"Custom job, sir," he replies.
[ Hadrix Kora (Had)]
Why Iridonia? Curiosity really. The rest of his ships crew, the old man and the kid tucked safely away on the dropship - helmet on and fully sealed leaving him isolated from the crowds while studious of the perpetual daylight that the city is subjected to. Like Hapes after a fashion. Armed to the teeth and strolling with Gripper hovering close to his shoulder Hadrix is silent while he approaches the location of stage.
<<"Should have offered security services.">> Gripper chiming in over their private line, the droid's red optics swiveling around her while she hovers close. <<"Republic is squeamish. Don't take merc jobs often.">> <<"Still could have offered.">> <<"Only Amber or the Alderaanians tend to hire.">> <<"Besides the point.">> one of the ID10's robotic limbs reaching out to 'tonk' a shoulder pauldron. <<"It's precisely the point.">> the pair halt and the big man centers his visor on the stage once more, magnification settings zooming in his view to get a better idea of who is on stage. <<"But I doubt they'd need to hire out, too.">>
[ Jax Greystorm (Jax)]
Jax was in the crowd and not on the stage. He wore his jedi robes and even his hood hiding his face though a rebreather with a mask hangs around his neck. His eyes go up to watch Sesti on stage.
[ Erik (Er)]
Erik walks the perimeter eyes peeled standard for one such as himself. He is alert and vigilant despite the boyish charm and playful glint in his eyes. Seeing Erinn he gives her a Nod and a crisp Salute before continuing to wind through.
[ Fjord (Fj)]
The chatter is all around. A young smuggler moves through the crowd being followed by his R2 unit. Fjord is wearing a dark cloak over his armor as he moves between stalls and when he gets close enough he glances up to the stage. His eyes watching what's happening with a raise brow. His arms slowly cross and he waits in silence.
[ Kael Greystorm (Kent)]
Kael's here as well having arrived a bit after Nerys he's not dressed up in his full on power armor for once however he is wearing a set of void armor to protect from the environmental issues. Stepping up closer towards Nerys he offers a wave, "Sorry I was a bit late. How are you doing darlin?"
[ Tharyn Corlas (thy)]
For some time now, Tharyn Corlas has served as a sort of unofficial hand for the soon-to-be Senator of Iridonia; quietly pulling jobs for people on the planet and its associated families, he's gotten to know many things about the sensibilities of its people toward membership in the Republic, just as Sesti had asked him to do. Tonight, he has heard something. Something impossible to ignore. And the dominos are starting to fall.
On approach to the assembly area, it isn't Sesti he contacts first, but civil security; knowing, perhaps, that there might be agents among separatists ther, he nonetheless does his duty to the civilians before his employer. Old habits, they die very, very hard. He was once law enforcement himself after all. But with battle gear on his back, his sealed suit mimicking the rocky land outside the domes with its browns and tans, he looks very much as though he might be charging into invade the place on his lonesome - were it not for his own security clearance, of course, transmitted from his helmet to whatever curious droid or guard might rise to stop him on the move.
When he enters the area, he does not announce himself - he simply leaps, and keeps going, carried aloft by alcohol-blue cones of jet flame from the lift unit on his back, launched in a parabolic arc toward the Senator's platform.
[ Ambrosia Greystorm (Amber)]
One among the Republic's military contingent is a woman would be amiss not to attend, for multiple reasons. Firstly, her ancestor - Jera Aderanne - died on this rock, making her last stand against the darker forces that be and it's from her bloodline that the 'gift' flowed through to Ambrosia's son, Jax. The Force was wise to skip a generation, perhaps. Secondly, it is General General Greystorm's daughter-in-law who sits the Senatorial throne and so in a way, this is a family affair. Paying homage to the in-laws, as it were, namely to he who is already dead and gone, the man who bestowed Ambrosia with a rather delightful name, many years ago. Kal'vyshde.
Dancing Blade swivels her helmeted head from left to right, keeping angles fresh as she scans the going-ons from the sidelines within the shadow of that floating stage. No need to upstage the local security, after all. She's just here to play the part of dutiful grandmother and safeguard that genepool.....and also yes, strike a statuesque pose for the PR judges watching this ceremony unfold. She could use a stiff drink.
A sigh, one of many already breathed, noisily passes through her respirator as her head begins to reverse its....wait a minute. Wait. A. Minute. <<"We got a problem. Possible threat, location 8 o'clock, 12 meter approximate...">> And a rocketeer named Tharyn WHOOSHES by in an arc past her line of sight. <<"Single individual, Kal'vyshde moving to intercept.">> And no sooner does she begin to shoulder her way through to that location does the person in her sights start to pull something from a pocket. <<"POSSIBLE DET--">> there's a jostling of helmet that farkles her words a touch, but her tone of alarm is unmistakeable. The General is sprinting like a mad bull, trampling those too slow to get out of her way and shout of <<"CLEAR! CLEAR!">>
[ Sesti Greystorm (Sesti)]
Around the 'take off' area of the stage there is a ring of zabrak in Gath armor and fully armed, their eyes scanning the crowd, their posture ready to spring into action.
On the stage, an older woman with similar jotaj on her face as Sesti steps forward and speaks in zabrak. For any who understand the language, or have a droid to translate, she is S'Praz Gath, wife of the former Ambassador, Yet Gath. She speaks proudly of her husband, and his service until his death on Hosnian Prime. A single shout of "Oen'mai'ulen" rises from those gathered when she pauses to gather her breath. A slight smile tugs at Sesti's lips at the honor accorded to her father. S'Praz bows her head slightly to acknowledge their recognition of Yet, and then she speaks of Sesti accepting the honor and the risk to follow in her father's footsteps as the New Republic has been reforged, and how her tireless work has brought Iridonians to their former place of full and equal rank among planetary systems among the New Republic. Zabrak people are not flowery, even in speeches, but the older woman's pride in her family is evident, as she turns to formally introduce Senator Sesti Greystorm.
However, it's at that point that Tharyn enters, and seconds before he takes to the air, the Gath guard, and any local uniformed personnel put their gas masks on, and unholster weapons, looking around. This is immediately followed by Tharyn going airborne, and Sesti putting on the gas mask at her belt. Turning, she makes sure the other elders have their masks on even as she punches the button on the stage controls for the forcefield dome to snap into place. Through the haze she gives a nod to the rocket man flying above, and strides to the box at the back of the stage. As she's pulling out her leather duster and swinging it on, there's a commotion as a few zabrak call out, "Hait Keff" and some more zabrak that sounds very angry. One of the individuals that yells turns to see Amber bearing down on her, and smiles as she deliberately presses the button in her hand.
With the sound of hundreds of small detonations as other zabrak around the room press similar buttons, the plasteel above the crowd's heads cracks, then rains down, followed by an invisible but very noisome cloud of choking gas. Most of the people below, residents and long time visitors of the city, instantly put on their gas masks, and turn to make sure others have their masks on as a few blaster bolts bounce from the dome raised just in time and leave burn marks on the fresh cleaned rock ceiling and walls.
[ Nerys Greystorm (Nerys)]
"I'm glad you could make it." Nerys was clearly not bothered by Kael being late. As the big man came up to stand beside her, she reached out to hook a gloved finger into one of the catches on the hip of his armor closest to her. It was a comfortable, casual thing, as she settled in, "I'm alright. I lost track of Jax in the crowd. I was hoping I could talk him into giving me a boost up so I could look out of the skylights." It was a heck of a long way up. No way Jax had arms that long.
All was well, and things were preceding swimmingly, until Amber shouted, Thryn rocketed in, and it all went pear-shaped. First things first, Nerys bodyslammed Kael, which did nothing, given the man's sheer size, as a force shield bubbled up around them both, though it was a strain to contain them. At least, it stopped the rain of debris from falling down on them. While she did her level best to protect god and country, as it were, Nerys' keen eyes cast around the room, her comms clicking on on an open channel, "Combatant, with a detonator, quadrant Four-B." She even pointed, inside her bubble, so it was clear.
[ Calista Alastair (Cali)]
Fashionably late has its time and place. An event like this was neither the time nor the place. So when Captain Calista Alastair comes rushing in as professionally as she can, she is doing so while talking in a low tone under her breath to the assistant following her. "...don't explain why the transport was late. The deck crew is a little /too/ undermanned at the moment. Call the next rotation in when we return."
"Yes, ma'am." The assistant says hurriedly as she makes notes in her datapad. One of about twenty by now.
Finding herself at the edge of the gathered crowd, Calista breathes a sigh of relief. Leave it to pomp and circumstance both to play a role in delaying any event enough for the stragglers. "Ah, there's Greystorm." Because Ambrosia is difficult to miss. Fully intent on catching up, Calista is halted in her tracks with a commotion.
Shouting. Running. Jetpacks and explosions. And, of course, she without armour or weaponry. Grand. Nonetheless, the black-haired woman quickly puts on her gas mask and starts to shoulder her way into the crowd looking for threats nearby.
[ Erinn Laski (Laski)]
There are plenty of completely normal, logical, and understandable reasons for a New Republic Naval Officer to not see a man jet-packing through the air. Through the air, and towards the very stage you were meant to be watching for this entire affair. Plenty of good reasons! Take, for instance, the fact that Erinn Laski has just been maneuvered into a good little spot to take in the view from the stage. Also, that, instead of watching the stage, she's taken the time to lean in and adjust that orange bow-tie around Corporal Mueller's neck.
"All crooked. I'm telling you you're hopeless," she says to him.
Mueller's got a pretty good excuse too! It just happens to be the same reason that Erinn missed the display. His jaw tightens a little bit and, for a split second, the wise-cracking corporal is at a loss for words.
"I tied it that way on purpose. You're ruining it," he finally manages.
"Uh huh," says Lieutenant Laski.
Okay it's a -really- bad excuse.
What is impossible to ignore is the sound of multiple detonations and the commotion going on in the crowd immediately following them. There's a sound of choking, coughing, and hacking, and Erinn Laski and Corporal Mueller are soon joining the chorus. She tries to cover her face with the crook in her arm, but the gas is too noxious. She looks up towards the crowd of people pulling on gas masks and turns to look at Mueller, who is already beginning to secure one onto her face. She tries to push his hands away, but he's got about nine inches (eyy) and forty pounds on her. He's able to secure it onto her face before he starts to cough.
"Mueller!" shouts Erinn from behind the mask. It's anger that rings in her voice as the young man starts to cough and attempts to cover his face like she did.
"Stay here," she says, and begins her scramble to find a gas mask for the corporal.
[ Hadrix Kora (Had)]
Lifting in unison, the visored gaze and optical view of Hadrix and Gripper note the flying figure headed for the stage, head of one and body of the other tilting to one side for the spectacle of it.
<<"Well.">> <<"Yep.">>
One hand reaching back to start to slip a short metal stave from his back. One hand with a quad flanged strike head and the other curving into a flattened bludgeon with a single spike, like an antiquated buckler targe one might spy on 'rustic' sort of worlds. Though this one is attached to the staff, rather than worn on a shield. Another curiosity of the rare 'primitive' worlds to be found. Or Tatooine in specific.
<<"You know, guns are invented. You have many.">> <<"Wanted to try it out.">> <<"What do you th-">>
Explosions, noise, falling plasteel. Hadrix is backpedaling with Gripper socketing herself onto his back plate, complaining on comms the entire time while the big man gets himself mobile. His original choice of weapon left in its hangar on his webbing. Scuttling towards cover and seeing the HUD acknowledgements of his smoke and toxin filters starting engage within his helmet.
<<"Still going to use the staff?">> <<"Nope.">> <<"Cannon?">> <<"Cannon.'>> rumbling over the private line to Gripper still as the wrooshyr and bronzium 'rifle' is pulled from its place among his weapons and Hadrix clicks over a switch generating a throating hum that starts to build.
[ Erik (Er)]
Erik keeps walking and smiling as if nothing is wrong and completely oblivious to the flying person. But than there's gas and parasteel starting to fall. He quickly applies a gas mask and draws his blaster pistol as he heads off to find those responsible.
[ Jax Greystorm (Jax)]
Jax quickly reaches for his gas mask and pulls it up and over his face. The gift that had pass ethrough Ambers blood to him was his only answer. Though it wasn't a proper answer as the jedi was trained in using telekinesis. Ithad always been little more than a meditation focus, a parlor trick, or the moving something small that was quite useful like a key to a cell. This.. This was beyond him and he knew it but he tried anyone. So he reaches out with the force. His hand out raised to try to create a bair between the broken dome and those caught in it with his connection in the force. All he got was trying to catch water from a fire hose in his hands.
[ Fjord (Fj)]
It was going well until it wasn't anymore. The smuggler slowly looks up to the falling debris and gives an annoyed sigh as he pulls on the gas mask that was sitting on his head. He takes a few deep breaths and touches the blade at his side and then the other side. He glances to his R2, "Take cover. Come out when it's over." He orders the droid as he pulls his vibrosword free. He's not sure where but then he sees it. Fjord takes a deep breath and rushes towards the mercenary that's closest to him. He's trying to be quiet so he can get the jump on him.
[ Kael Greystorm (Kent)]
Kael Greystorm blinks just a bit as everything starts to go boom and a Nerys smacks into him and the bubble pops up around them as he reaches down to his holstered pistol with one hand while the other arm wraps around Nerys to keep her close, "Always a fun time. Drop the shield." The pistol comes out and as he shifts Nerys to allow him to fire he sights in on one of the combatants letting three shots out in rapid succession impacting the insurgent a few times before he starts to scan for any more enemies.
[ Tharyn Corlas (thy)]
Sailing just ahead at the falling debris, Tharyn lands upon the floating platform. << Protect the Senator, >> he calls to security on this level through helmet annunciators, his hand blurring across the quickdraw holster on his thigh and coming up with a heavily modified blaster. << The partisans are trying to bring down the whole place on the gathering. >>
To that end, he fires twice at one of the detonator-holders, but one shot goes terribly wide - either from his hasty draw or the speed of the target, the bolt lands instead into the side of a market stall, and the powerful packet of explosive energy sends a cloud of glass and plastoid into a group of unfortunate civilians. Hopefully none are injured badly.
[ Ambrosia Greystorm (Amber)]
<<"'Hait Keff' this, you barvy b---">> Ambrosia's charge to intercept makes contact too late to stop the detonation from quaking the infrastructure and raining scalp-slashing shards of plasteel upon the assembly. And the gas?? Oof.
Deafening rapport of serial blasts are not enough to deter the ground-pounding veteran from her target though, and she mirrors the Zabrak woman's cruel smile with an ugly one of her own, albeit hidden behind mask. The two collide in a glancing blow that propels an arc of red mist from the radical's femoral artery - the Zabrak having turned to follow Amber's breezing by with a swing of her own fist which met naught but air as the old rebel was already on knee and slicing upward to draw first blood. On the backswing, as she rises, Kal'vyshde drives it to the hilt up under hind ribs, just below a plate of armor. The woman is likely already dead, just not yet realizing it, as she arcs back with a scream of rage, of pain, and dies for her cause when the General's fisted knife slams straight down into bared throat's hollow.
It's over in three heartbeats. <<"STATUS REPORT!?">> Her inquiring mind would like to know.
[ Sesti Greystorm (Sesti)]
The zabraks who hollered drop their cloaks, making them stand out in their red tunics with black piping and a sword of judgement emblazoned on their backs. They swarm through the crowd, some of them heading straight towards the Gath Guard and the stage area. A half dozen of the red tunics aim grapples at the floating platform with the dignitaries on it. One of them is downed by three coordinated blaster bolts from the Guard and the hook with its line goes hurtling up and snags on one of the banners instead, pulling it down. As it pulls down, more plasteel falls, as the banners have been able to catch and contain some of the falling shards of doom. Zabraks around Jax suffer smaller cuts as they run for cover under the shade sails or vendor's awnings. Only a few large pieces rip through those to harm people hiding below them. There's a clatter on the sturdier wooden roofed stalls, and then the shouting and sounds of blaster fire begin to take over.
One of the tunics making straight for the stage takes two of Kael's blasts and falls on their face. The fact that they turn their head to the side to gulp for air says that they're still alive, but judging by the pool of blood spreading underneath them, without medical care they might not be for much longer. Another one is firing a grapple at the stage, and manages to attach below as Tharyn's shots miss him. He drops the already used detonator, and pulls a shield disruptor from his belt as the line reels him above the Gath Guard heads towards the stage.
On the platform, Sesti sees Tharyn coming in and opens the force field momentarily to let him through. She's already drawn her own sword from the box they had on the platform, and the other elders are similarly armed. With her sword in one hand and cane, now humming, in the other, she shakes her head. "They can't bring down the city. They wanted the gas to handicap people. Protect the Elders, I will be replaced in a couple years anyway. They cannot be replaced."
The hum of Hadrix's cannon coming to life attracts the attention of one of the tunics, and they turn their attention towards the big man, taking a shot at him, but missing. There's a mess of confusion as red tunics swarm, some of them attacking anyone they see that isn't zabrak. One of the ones climbing up the wires to the stage manages to attach a disruptor to the force field, dropping it just in time for the one that Tharyn fired at to swing himself over the rail and fire at him. As the forcefield goes down, Sesti sees one of the women swing over and aim for her mother. She lunges forward to intercept the attack. She growls as the blast tears into her thigh, but uses the momentum of her stumble for a backhand swing of her cane, and then drives down on top of the sword as she sinks into the woman. "Alright," she breathes into her comms as she rolls over.
OOC Note, there are one elite, one exotic, one expensive and five cheap to attack. I'll let you know via page which ones to roll your attack on. There were two elite and two expensive, but Amber and Kael took care of one of each.
[ Nerys Greystorm (Nerys)]
As soon as Kael grabbed her, which as much kept Nerys from bouncing off like a rubber ball meeting a duracrete wall, as allowed the armor's shield to bubble up around them both, Nerys reached for her own weapon. When the call came to drop the shield, she dropped the shield, knowing Kael would drop her back down to the ground so that she could turn and get to business. Once she had her feet again, she drew her weapon, moving into position beside her husband, somehow managing not to make it look like she was Kael's mini-me. She could do nothing for the people on the platform, but she could try to manage the people on the ground.
[ Erinn Laski (Laski)]
Erinn Laski scrambles across the aisles and stumbles over various bodies that are surging towards the various exits of the market. The wedge heels are not conducive to this sort of environment, and she gets knocked aside by various desperate citizens as they attempt their escape. She isn't looking for the exits, though -- she's searching desperately for a gas mask for Corporal Mueller. Thankfully, nearby there is an emergency aid station that she pries the lid off of. Within it are dozens of gas masks that Erinn gathers into her arms.
As she makes her way back towards her seat, she spots others who were less than fortunate, having either neglected bring their mask, or simply not having one at all. She delivers them on her way to Mueller. When she arrives, he's choking for air, and Erinn kneels down beside him to secure the mask to his face.
One dramatic gasp sees him pull clean, filtered oxygen into his lungs, and then plumes erupt from either side of the mask as he begins to cough, clearing out the choking gas as he gasps and coughs.
"Idiot," Erinn says, heart pounding in her chest. Mueller doesn't respond. Not with words, at least. He just hacks and coughs as the gas mask does its work.
The two stay low to the ground. Unarmed and in Fancy Clothes (TM), they're no use in the fight. But that doesn't matter to one of the various mercenaries firing indiscriminantly into the crowd. When Erinn looks up from Corporal Mueller, she sees the barrel of a blaster pointed directly at her face, the prismatic crystal at its core flaring red moments before the blaster discharges.
Don't breathe. Just move.
Erinn ducks and that blaster discharge screams over her head, slapping into the seat behind her and punching a rather imposing hole in it.
"Kark!" she yells within her gas mask. "We've got to help evacuate these people!"
"Yes sir!" he manages, coughing as he pushes up and onto his knees.
[ Hadrix Kora (Had)]
<<"You're bad luck, Hadrix.">> Gripper is still mounted on the big man's back, still complaining and remaining tucked in close while the Boar-Wolf of Ealor gets to his full height, adjusting controls on the side of the cannon with a still growing with the whumWhumWHumWHUmWHUM of the pressurizer sheathing the locked in bolt in plasma, bringing it to the brink of becoming softened by the heat.
The blaster bolt singing past his arm raises his head and with it the massive cannon to his shoulder while target trackers on his HUD bracket the assailant.
<<"Told you this wouldn't be boring.">> <<"Shut up, Hadrix.">>
Stalking forward, the cannon held rifled speaks and a shooting star streaks across the distance, exploding into a fountain of plasma while the bolt flattens against strike plating, stumbling the attacker. Leaning into the kick of the titanic weapon, absorbing the shock and building up steam as he begins to stalk forward, the long gun barks again with a very wookiee SHOOOONK!
The second blast, another green comet, lifting the iridonian off of their feet and sending them hurtling a handful of feet before they're bouncing and skidding across the ground.
<<"Wishing you'd used the stick?">> <<"A little.">>
[ Jax Greystorm (Jax)]
As the sight of one of the mercenaries slaughting one fo the Iridonian guard and the crowd taking blaster fire, It seemed the best way to put stop this was with his saver besides it puts a target on his back and gives people a chance to get away. Jax's hand goes to his saber and a blue blade ignites as he crosses the distance to attack. The merc dodges each of his attacks and calls out, "This is what they call a jedi? You are nothing to fear."
[ Fjord (Fj)]
Fjord watches the debris fall as he pushes himself forward, blade in hand. His eyes quickly lift up to see the star hitting into someone and his eyes turn quickly to see if it's another attacker, nope. Just a Hadrix. He pushes faster as he hears a lightsaber? His eyes turn to see that for a second before he nopes out of there and keeps pushing until he angles his blade up and spins around to in front of the Mercenary blocking Erinn and he lets his blade slide up the person from navel to neck and he spins cutting deep across the midsection. He watches the mercenary drop and he turns to look at Erinn. He's under his cloak with a gas mask so only his eyes are seen. "Stay safe." He speaks softly before rushing after the next closest one.
[ Erik (Er)]
Erik moving through the crowd his eyes flash about the area as he tries to find some cover. "Im layin' down some." He shouts before firing off a shot with his blaster the shot going a tad high. "Come and get me bub." He yells out glancing around a bit more oh yea he's trying to draw attention to himself. "Shit hope this guys cant shoot so good." Laughing to himself as he he takes a breath and waits again.
[ Kael Greystorm (Kent)]
Kael shifts now that Nerys is on the ground sighting in on the idiot who shot at him snapping two shots off at them with the long barreled pistol the two bolts hitting his target soundly before he shifts his fire over to the enemy who took a pot shot at not mini Kael. "Got a few looks like they're new. Take 'em out and then lets move towards the folks going up the platform."
[ Ambrosia Greystorm (Amber)]
<<"I SAID STA--">> Oh, shav. Ambrosia quits glaring around in her attempts to get a visual on the rest of her crew when one - no, two - of those tunics come gunning for her. There is a subtle difference in the assuredness with which each of them moves and the graying battleaxe immediately identifies the more seasoned of the two trouble-makers. It's this one that she devotes the most immediate attention to and is already moving to meet head-on. A raised forearm knocks his aside after his fired shot breezes by over shoulder and knee comes up to block and attempted kick. Shin plate meets shin plate and blade jabs poignantly into groin - slashes across elbow to render one arm useless. It's that arm that she's pivoted under, hugged under, cyber-strong fingers of left handseizing hold of his tunic in front. Her right arm comes around, beneath the other arm, and applies meaningful pressure with the business edge of that knife under his jawline.
All muscles are putting forth an effort into holding onto the man as she whispers sweet nothings into his ear through a rather flat, vocoded growl. "You're comin' with me, my friend, or next cut's not gonna be so gentle." Sure, it'd be great to get the intel off this guy, but her main reason for puppeteering in this moment to make him a meat shield against the other. "Give me a reason."
Please.
[ Calista Alastair (Cali)]
Not quite fast enough for the gas mask, Calista is coughing heavily; a rough burning igniting in her lungs. Her hand clasps on to the shoulder of her assistant. <<"Return to the *coughcough* shuttle. Inform *cough* the Pantheon of *coughcough* hostilities on *coughcough* Iridonia. Crew on alert. Patrols. *cough*">> The assistant, too, is coughing into her mask yet she manages a nod and backtracks; disappearing into the crowd.
Meanwhile, Calista is busying herself trying to herd the fleeing audience towards the exits, doing her best to keep herself in between the threats and the innocents. In doing so, she comes across a familiar... face? Mask? Masked face? "Lieutenant Laski. You are well?" The accent is thick through the wheezing vocoder as the panicing crowd stampedes around them.
[ Tharyn Corlas (thy)]
There is no time for wit in the moment, not that Tharyn has the capacity - he is a different man, much reduced from long ago. At least mentally; as one of the skilled fighters amongst the partisans leaps over the rail and makes to fire at him, the shield dropping all around them, Tharyn's momentarily rusty aim has apparently been shaken clear. He brings the blaster up, its once tapered barrel now a ribbed cylinder with an inverted collimator, and puts two shots straight into the rebel's torso. Flames and barbecued flesh spout from the wounds as the explosive plasma does its work, dropping him on the spot.
<<"Get to the exit,">> Tharyn bellows to the elders as he slowly backs up, ready to loose another salvo into whomever dares scale the platform next. <<"Link up with law enforcement. Senator! Are you all right?">>
[ Sesti Greystorm (Sesti)]
The confusion and element of surprise over, the Gath Guard and the local law enforcement have now coordinated and push back at the red tunics. More than a few merchants have now grabbed their own weapons, as almost all zabrak know from a young age how to handle something proficiently. With plasteel no longer raining down, they take the fight to the wave of the rebels, crawling out from under the wreckage of the stall Tharyn destroyed, and from their hiding places under awnings and other cover. One of the elders dispatches the person who disrupted the force field before they can make aboard and pushes them backwards to the ground. More red drops to the floor, both fabric and liquid as Tharyn drops his, too. Those who can't fight carry children and wounded out of the way. The zabrak on both sides are methodical and efficient as red tunics focus their attacks more towards the floating stage and the guards who block access to it. S'Praz takes it a little higher, making those on board more difficult to hit by blasters fired from the ground. Staying down, Sesti pulls her medpack towards her, hitting the wound on the thigh with a numbing hypo. "I'm fine," she replies to Tharyn
There was a momentary fear when the light saber lit, but then the zabrak that was attacked mocks Jax, and those around leave her to fight her own battle, and earn her own honor of defeating a jedi. She bares her teeth, and drives forward to attack Jax. Her smile starts to fade as both of her attacks meet empty air when she was sure the jedi was /right/ /there/.
Amber has the man well under wraps, although he's two battle hardened to cry out or give more than a surprised grunt at the wounds inflicted, he remains silent, giving Kal'Vyshde nothing. His eyes still dart around, his muscles tense as he looks for an opening to get away.
The one that fired at Nerys and now has Kael's attention decides to not stay where they can be fired at by the man mowing down their ranks. Ducking around a pillar, he instead takes aim at Erik, his shot missing and tearing into one of the banners fluttering down.
[ Nerys Greystorm (Nerys)]
Just because the traitor was no longer shoot AT her, did not mean that she was no longer going to shoot at him. Oh, no. He had made his bed, nerys was fully intent that he should lie in it. Even as the enemy combatant turned away to attack a new target, Nerys aimed a shot at the man, keen eyes allowing her to sight him, even behind his cover. one shot, and he was down. And that left the one trying to ventilate Jax. Nobody took a shot at her cousin except her, no they did not. Nerys, though, could not quite get a line on the zabrak and one of her shots went past and hit a non-combatant. Well, such were the dangers of operating in a shooting gallery. She'd get him patched up after. Say sorry.
[ Erinn Laski (Laski)]
Erinn lifts her gaze just in time to watch the mercenary who had discharged his blaster towards her face get cut from neck to navel. The sharp spray of blood hits her gas-mask and face, creating a misting pattern from her left eye over towards her right cheek. She watches him crumple to the ground and twitch, recoiling a little as she sees the blood bubble from his throat as he attempts to scream or cry out but can't.
Fjord's greeting is seen, but she doesn't say anything. He's met with wide, petrified eyes as she scoots a little in the opposite direction of him while he weaves through the crowd towards another attacker.
"Laski!" yells Mueller, tugging her to her feet. Karking heels. She takes her dress and tears the rip across her thigh, an inch or so higher. Not only is it ~* sexy *~ but it also gives that leg a little bit more room to maneuver as the two of them cut through the crowd and towards one of the exits. A familiar voice catches her attention and she turns to see Captain Alastair. It's not quite the place to stand at attention, but she does signal Corporal Mueller to follow her to rendezvous with the captain as hundreds of panicked civilians stream through narrow walkways, trampling over one another to escape.
"Sir! Mueller and I are alright," she says, scanning the crowd and seeing the general directions each of those channels of bodies are streaming towards. Nerys' blaster fire wizzes past and hits a civilian in their leg, toppling them over.
"The residential district is just over there. If we can get into the streets, we can help direct traffic," she says, "Or we can stay and help, but we're unarmed, sir." Her eyes turn to Captain Alastair, awaiting her order.
[ Hadrix Kora (Had)]
The rattling sound of Hadrix racking another bolt into the pressure chamber of the long gun falls in cadence with his steps as the Mandalorian's gaze sweeps the mayhem of what has become akin to so many places that have born, fleeting or lastingly, the tread of his boots across the surface.
<<"Looks like Amber's boy found a decent dancer.">> Gripper chiming in again, running her sensor sweeps, <<"They're occupying him, when he could be using-">> <<"Hooboo-Joooboo">> the big man interrupts as the sights of his cannon fall on the iridonian fighting the Greystorm Jedi, <<"Hooboo... jooboo to get the officials clear...">> a bit of a sharper edge to her tone while they... bicker in a firefight. <<"I get it, I get it...">> again the cannon begins to whirr, pressurizer orb increasing the strength of the mag-con field that imparts greater and greater pressure on the tibanna gas within, the bolt chamber filling with emerald plasma before the first shot screams past the heads of both, setting a banner to flame and superheating the air so that it seems to hiss for the temperature.
The second bolt strikes true, lower and bursts through armor and impact cloth, charring muscle, melting fat and causing bone to squeal as it blackens. The hole the solid durasteel bolt dragging flesh and tissue in it's wake while Hadrix's vocalizer engages and broadcasts at 'battlefield' volume, to be heard over the din, casting his gravel and glass voice across the distance,
<"Greystorm, stop playing with that and get the officials clear.">
[ Jax Greystorm (Jax)]
Jax watches as the merc is on the recieving end of a Mandos canon. Jax slatues Hadrix with his saber. Then turns back to back to the Irodian merc, "I would standd down. Once he's enraged he's kinda dangerous type." The merc running of adreline and pain just yells "Die." As she plunges at Jax with her vibro blade. The corellian side steps. There's a quick flick of a saber and it's over. "You were better off surrendering and talking of the day you faced both a jedi and a a Mando." The Corellian sounds sad then scans the scene to see where he's needed next.
[ Erik (Er)]
Erik watches that blaster bolt fly past his head and hit the banners. "Kriff, yep I knew it that guys a bad kriffin' shot." He grumbles and watches as the guy who fired at him falls. "NICE SHOT!" He calls with a grin popping down. "Firing again!" He takes aim and squeezes that trigger his shot smacking the attacker nearest Ambrosia. "Here stupid, come and get me!" And with that laugh he charges forward to find more cover.
[ Fjord (Fj)]
Fjord keeps rushing to the next one. He eyes Hadrix moving and shooting them the one he was going for got destroyed so he keeps running. There is a shake of his blade before he slides next to one that just got shot by Erik. His blade moves quickly from the back of their calf up to their hip. Once they drop, he turns quickly slicing quickly across their chest. He watches them fall and he turns to watch the more important people get to safety. A quick glance around and he doesn't see anymore unfriendlies. He turns and sheaths his blade and moves back to where his R2 is hiding. He pats it on the top of its dome and grumbles. "Let's go. We did what we could."
[ Kael Greystorm (Kent)]
Kael looks around after Nerys has finished up one of the last ones and he starts to draw a bead on the one that Jax is fighting... Then a giant bolt from Hadrix's cannon and a flick of a lightsaber and Kael's looking for a new target... Blaster's sights settling on the last one he can find standing and fighting. Then he spots who it's fighting with and the pistol goes back into its holster before he turns towards Hadrix shouting over, "Which Greystorm? We're all playing with our prey!" Then he turns to look over at Nerys, "I suppose now we should look to get up onto that platform?"
[ Ambrosia Greystorm (Amber)]
The broadcasted boom of 'Greystorm, stop playing with that' slips in through the din to Ambrosia's ears and she's about to take offense, but a sweet succession of:
1)*PEW* - the remaining aggressor she's staring down around the shoulder of her hostage takes a hit and fires off one - at her - in turn and
2) It strikes just below her left arm, searing a painful hole through the man's solar plexus and the stoic bastard starts to sag in her arms
has her a bit distracted. Frink oh frink ohhh...
Lift with the knees, Amber, plant those feet! Her legs spread to shoulder width for better bracing, straddling one of the unconscious Zabrak's hips. It's a blessing then that some cloaked figure rushes through to slice her would-be opponent into oblivion.
A long look up sees the dignitaries of the day being safeguarded, scrambling, hopefully to evacuate. <<"This is General Greystorm,">> forget her call sign of the evening <<"I need a medic pronto, one prisoner in custody, repeat one prisoner in custody. Relocating to medical tent now.">> At which there's no doubt a long line of civilians already in need of attention. Dammit. <<"Will await transport to starport there.">> Yeah, that makes more sense. <<"Somebody got eyes on the Senator?">> Don't worry Jax, you're included by proxy....probably.
With a strained grunt, Greystorm Sr drops to one knee and lets the bloody Zabrak crumple over her right shoulder just long enough to readjust her grip, then staaaaands back up and begins a laborious tromp away with her prize. Intel will have their work cut out for them when he wakes up. If. He wakes up.
[ Sesti Greystorm (Sesti)]
As the battle below is wrapping up, other non-combatants have been at work, too. The city is darkening as solid, steel, doors are closing off the skylights above that were blown out. The 'night' lights click on, dim as they begin to warm up, but enough to see by as the civilians have mostly cleared out, and medical personnel are now taking over. The local law enforcement take over from the Gath Guard those that they've subdued, and the work of picking up, identifying, and disposing of the dead begins.
With the clear signal, S'Praz brings the stage back down to ground level, and the Gath Guard surrounds them, escorting them quickly towards the starport and the Senatorial Shuttle. "You knew before they attacked," Sesti states to Tharyn as she regains her feet. "I will be interested in a full report of what you found out, we have not had time for one in all the excitement." She limps on her own, using the cane that was a weapon for support now, her sword back in its sheath. She looks down at one of the civilians being covered with a strip of banner and clamps her lips together. Looking back up, she closes her eyes momentarily, and then there's a shoulder slipping under her free arm as Jax takes some of her weight to help her walk a little easier. She gives him a pinched lipped, grateful, nod as they continue out.
The General's code name gone, there are a few who were told the story of Amber's connection to Sesti's father, and Kal'Vyshde will have a stabilized prisoner of battle, and even be allowed to take him 'home' with her.
[ Erinn Laski (Laski)]
"General Greystorm," comes Erinn Laski's voice from somewhere to the left. Her and Corporal Mueller, who is looking absolutely befuddled as to how Lieutenant Laski seems to know all of these high-ranking officers, follows behind her with a very confused look on his face. He's looking at the struggling prisoner in General Greystorm's as he slowly starts to go limp. Erinn's jaw works and she quickly steps forward to disarm the man by pulling the blaster pistol out of his hand before it clunks onto the ground.
She can't help but picture Amber's arms beneath her, flexing and squeezing as she hoisted that weight up and up and up and up in the gymnasium aboard the Pantheon. She swallows, and switches the safety of the blaster pistol on with a mechanical click.
"We'll follow you, sir," she says, looking everywhere but at the unconscious Zabrak's face that sways back and forth over Amber's shoulder as she walks.
"C'mon Mueller. There are injured people. They'll need to be triaged, and I'm sure Medical will need all the help they can get," she says.
[ Nerys Greystorm (Nerys)]
"It looks like Jax has Sesti handled, but let's see what we can do about getting some of these people medical treatment so we can move them to a safer location." Nerys put away her blaster, retrieving a medical pack from the backpack she enver went anywhere without, "I ahve a feeling we'll be here for a while." Which was fine. The real battle was always after the shooting was done.
[ Fjord (Fj)]
The cloaked smuggler sneaks out back towards his ship. His R2 unit zipping around people to stay by his side. With that Fjord is gone.
[ Hadrix Kora (Had)]
Fighting has stopped and so the demi-trumpeted barrel of the wookiee cannon comes up - holding at low ready with that thing is madness. No more combatants; but there are Republic officials here. Republic reports would be filed, people questioned and he wasn't on any official payroll for the moment.
Only one
<<"Solution?">> <<"Time to leave.">>
The big man looks to Ambrosia with her meat shield and the end of chaos, speaking into comms. Vocalizer engaging again on broadcast,
<<"Krayt Dragon... If you need assistance with interrogation, I can assist. You have my contact codes and you know my rates.">> She may just know who taught him how to get information as well. They had a chat in the sub-level prisons on Chandrila after the big man helped bring him in.
There's no wait for a response though, he simply gives a short burst of his jets to make people back away before he is cast into the air on wings of fire, headed for the hole in the dome; an easy way to get clear of the cavern and back towards the landing stations.
<<"Overly dramatic.">> <<"Shut up, Gripper.">>
[ Kael Greystorm (Kent)]
Kael Greystorm nods a bit as he does another quick scan of the area, "Well lets start helping these folks out. It's going to be a long night."
[ Ambrosia Greystorm (Amber)]
<<"I can have fun for free,">> that 'krayt dragon' grunts in response to Hadrix's voice in her ear, but there might be a smile somewhere under that mask. A sideways nod of c'mon invites Erinn and Mueller along for the hike.
