Log:Jedi Order: Illuminating the A-Byss

Jedi Order: Illuminating the A-Byss

OOC Date: November 16, 2020
Location: Prakith
Participants: Jedi Order: Aryn Cole, Vhe Tenara, Kasia Ashkuri, Ban Iskender, Elrych Cometburn, Jax Greystorm, Zandra naMuriel, and Rey Skywalker with Ben Solo

"There's a lot of talk about how dangerous the Outer Rim is, and the Unknown Regions, and what the First Order has been doing out there. Exegol. More." Ben speaks to the Jedi assembled in the Falcon's recreation area, where there's plenty of seating and space for their numbers. "But the Core is just as dangerous and unknown. It's just smaller. The way the stars are packed together, the black hole at the center, everything is strange here. Nothing works the way it should. The closer to the center you go, the worse it gets. Unless..."

Ben turns to one of the small monochromatic display panels on the wall across from the holochess table, and pushes a button. "Unless you have some very powerful technology working to keep the pathway open." On the screen, a schematic of a complex mechanical device appears, expanding in a single color across the black glass. "Non-mass S-thread boosters. If what Vahn said is true, and I have never known him to lie, then there are eight of them hovering over Prakith."

The device image zooms out, converting the diagram into a small square on a map as the ship lurches out hyperspace. "This is the tricky part. They're flying in the middle of Prakith's Eye, a persistent lightning storm that never ends. And they all have to be linked within a few minutes of each other, basically simultaneously. Each of you will have to jump onto a platform alone and deal with it yourself."

There's a ROWRRLL from the cockpit, and Ben glances that way before looking back to the Jedi. "I'll open the landing ramp for you to jump, and we'll be ready to pick you up once the way is open. May the Force be with you."

"An interesting scenario," Aryn comments, drawing her hood up. There doesn't seem to be time for questions, which makes Aryn fairly nervous considering her scholarly type of personality. She rises from her seat and takes a nervous breath, then walks toward the corridor that leads to the ramp. As she often reminded herself, the only way is forward, and this moment was not any different. "Mother save me," She said softly, shaking her hand out.

Vhe's dark eyes reflect the color of the display and its imminent and important image emblazened before her. She makes a thoughtful sound as her arms lift to fold before her, hands clasping opposite elbows as she looks from the display to Ben. "We can deal with them in any way that is feasibly possible to us? Does not matter how we take it down?" The question asked she unfolds her arms and rests a hand at her saber.

Her attention shifts back before she starts to follow the rest towards their exit point of the ship.

"I'm fairly sure I understood all of that," Kasia says from her place on one of the couch-like seats. "I'm not sure that I liked all of it, but I think I understood it." Her gaze is drawn toward the cockpit at the rowrrll, then back to Ben. The sensation of questioning a great many of her choices is a familiar one, and here it is again, but she exhales a braeath and nods. "Alright. That's what we're doing." Both hands smooth the front of her robes though they don't need it, and then she rises.

Ban Iskender has chosen to stand as the briefing is given. Gloved hands are loosely clasped at the small of his back. Green eyes narrow attentively as the gentleman processes their situation. "In that vein: is the manner known in which this link is to be undertaken?" he voices evenly on the heels of Vhe's question.

In true Elrych Fashion, the corellian had been lazing around with his head in Vhe's lap, feet resting on the chair and knees up and clasped together but as the display came on he extracated himself from the Ysanna and the chair, standing in order to get a better view of what's being discussed.

There is a glance to Aryn, then to Vhe. "I dunno..." A look towards Ben. "Seems... an interesting way to go about it." He moves towards the ramp with the others, scratching the back of his head. "Well looks like I'll be getting in a double workout this week." A deep breath to calm the nerves.

Jax had been sitting on the floor of the Falcon crossed legged. He'd been meditating for most of the trip though his eyes opened as Ben begins to explain the mission. He raises his eyebrow and looks around the room. He inhales and exhales. The force is gathered around him as he stands. "This might be the craziest thing I've ever done. That's saying something." He produces a rebreather and preps it. "Aryn, this is usually the point where mine whispers behind me to save myself. Trust in the force?" This is said as more of a question than a suggestion.

Meditation is a good thing, but there's only so much of it that can be done. "They have an obvious on-switch?" Zan asks, somewhat amused. "Since they have to be linked, that'll mean figuring out why each one is not connected? And one for each of us. Right." Zan listens, and she smiles at Ben, her head tilting a bit. "Electronics can be somewhat frustrating," she says calmly. She too gets to her feet, checking where her lightsaber is, even if she's not expecting to use it. "Somehow I think this is going to be electrifyingly beautiful." A pause. "I should have brought a holofilmer or something."

Rey is near the engineering terminal, seated on the edge of it with her hands in her lap. She watches everyone reacting to the mission ahead and just softly nods her head as she reaches up to nervously pinch at her bottom lip with her other arm crossed over her stomach.

Her eyes dart to Ben, then back to the others. Lowering her hand, she watches them start to gather to move toward the ship's exit. "These were Imperial stations. Supposedly a Star Destroyer used to be assigned to orbit the planet, with crewmen specifically posted to each of these atmospheric beacons. I... we don't know what condition they're in today, but we at least know the Imperials are no longer here, obviously. The controls to activate the satellites should be at a terminal, fairly obvious to find or see."

She follows along with the others, prepared to go and embark on this mission herself, of course.

"If I knew, I would tell you. We didn't use these in the Unknown Regions, you don't need them," Ben explains, slapping the panel to crack open the belly of the Falcon.

When the landing ramp opens, the winds from the storm immediately rush in, buffeting the passengers while cracks of lightning flash garish light through the cloudy sky. Crosswinds and sudden gusts disturb the Falcon, threatening to toss them all unceremoniously down to the planet's volanic surface, but the ship stays just steady enough as it pulls ahead through the storm.

Each of the platforms consist of a small deck perhaps five meters square, with a tall antenna structure sprouting out of the middle, a control panel at its base. The sharp spires are set around the base with metal coils, and rain hammers down, pinging off the metallic surfaces.

Against all Imperial precedent, there are safety rails around all four edges, though there's a gap in one side for a technician to enter from a skiff or something official rather than leaping from a smuggler's freighter.

"I do not pray for my mother, I pray to my Goddess," Aryn answers Jax prior to the ramp lowering and the pressure inside the ship, shifting. The strong gusts of wind cast Aryn's cape to one side, and she marches forward bravely to prepare for a jump. The first thing she fixes in place is a rebreather, then as the Falcon comes up to the platform, Aryn steps off the ramp and disappears simultaneously to the flash of a lightning bolt.

Aryn's sensory is overloaded, initially. Rain pelting, wind blowing, flashing lights.. everything is an extreme. Her landing jarred her back to reality, and she took a knee, transitioning her weight safely to keep from breaking a bone her hurting her ankles. She uses that moment to get her bearings to see where she needed to go, thankful her hood remained in place.

Its her turn and when they get near enough she adjusts her equipment and braces near the ramp. Her hand closes on the outward strut to keep herself in place. Vhe watches Aryn and for a moment hesitates and this is likely her undoing. As she throws herself into the great black and aims for her target, she can feel herself short and she knows it. The closer she falls, sailing through the open expanse she grits her teeth and reaches.

SLAM!

She hits the railing and nearly bounces off of it. Her arms tense up and her hands grapple and before she can fall back and off of it she gets a hold. She can feel her ribs thoroughly bruised and in that panicked time span she can not breathe. The wind knocked cleanly out of her leaves her wheezing desperately to fill her lungs. Finally there is a gasping sound that is near painful as the Ysanna manages to get oxygen flowing again and drag herself up and over the railing to thump down to what is relative safety.

There are a number of things that Kasia is good at, but apparently today jumping just is not one of them. When it's her turn to take the leap she does so without hesitation, and it starts out fine. It's the landing that lacks a certain sort of finesse and sends her sprawling with an uncomfortable degree of force to the platform floor. The worst part is the slide toward the edge, only managing to save herself from going over and falling by the unusual addition of railing. Both hands grip it for dear life, even after she doesn't need to, and then she raises one hand to signal that she's okay. Not dead, not so hurt that she can't go on. Just shaken, and apparently a little clumsy tonight.

Ban Iskender's stoicism flickers in a brief, dignified wince as the two Jedi to disembark immediately before himself encounter... difficulties. Soon enough the old light freighter is buffeted by a fresh wind en route to the next platform and the armored nobleman leaps across the gap, green shoulder cape thrown starkly out to one side by the shrieking air. Rising from the crouch he'd landed in, Ban leans subtly into the wind as he moves with back straight and head high toward the control panel.

Elrych doesn't have a cape, but those robes of his flutter with the gusting of wind much like the Aryn's cape. He shrugs off the thick green cloak and tosses it aside. His properly quaffed hair flutters and wisps in the torrent of air that's pushing it's way into the Falcon's gangway. His green tabard flaps around, coming closer to the edge of the ramp and hanging onto a hypdrolic pilot to see Vhe off.

He wincs as she smacks into the railing, likely feeling the pain through their bond in the Force.

Instinctually he reaches a hand out to summon the force incase she needs a little help, but notices that she's able to recover. He takes a seep breath as the falcon moves along and onto Ban's and then his platform.

The Jedi Knight clears his mind and draws upon the wellspring. Veins start to pop in his neck and something unnatural occurs as muscles seem to grow. He looks far larger than his lanky normal self. With a running start he jumps high, a blast of air behind him. A long and well practiced jump before he land with a thunk on the middle of the plat form, crouched ever so slightly...

Then as fast as those muscles grew, they faded and he became a lanky tall boy again. A smile to those left on the Falcon, thumbs up to send them on their way.

"My missunderstanding." Jax shrugs, "I really should have listen to my Grandmother when she kept trying to teach me about religion." Jax says shrugging out his hooded outer robes. He walks to the entry way of the Falcon as the ship moves to the next plateform. He takes a deep breath and rolls his neck. Then takes off at a run at full speed. Then bounds off the tip of the entry ramp.

Jax drops to the platform tucking into a roll and then coming up ready to pull his saber. Then eyeing his surroundings. He looks around and lets out a deep breath. There's a wave to the Falcon to signify that he made it. He exhales, "The Force was with me."

Rebreather, check. Zan has one of those, and makes sure she's got it on correctly as she waits her turn to jump off. She too watches the others in front, as much as she can see them, but it doesn't prepare her for the force of the wind as she moves to take her position, ready to disembark. The others in front of her go, and then it's her turn. She gulps, takes a deep breath and nods once. She knows she can do this, though she stares at the lighting out across the way, watching it, with no small measure of awe. The wind buffets her, tugging at her robes and her hair, which is fastened up as it usually is. That hair style is not meant for this sort of wind though.

When it comes to be Zan's turn, she takes a deep centering breath, reaching for the Force. There's a definite intentness to her, as she starts forward, moving to a run and then timing her jump so that she lands successfully on the platform, with a thud. Wobble, wobble, and then her hands are on the railing, stopping her right there. Success! A grin crosses her face, and she turns to wave at the Falcon, not even knowing she's echoing Jax.

Rey's near the back of the line, watching the others make their jumps. She's nervous for them, she cares about all of them a great deal, and it's not easy to see them put their lives at risk like this... but as Master Luke had told her, 'Confront Fear is the destiny of a Jedi' and this situation was certainly ripe with fear inducing elements already. Rey watches them one by one make their jumps, and sees the Falcon adjust its course to the next station for her when it comes to her turn. She leans on the bulkhead of the Falcon's corridor with one hand lightly before she lets it drop. Her hood blows off of her head in the winds from the celestial body's surface, and she rushes out of the Falcon.

With a silent soar through the air, the white robed young woman lands upon the station platform and tumbles forward in to a roll that ends with her back upon her booted feet. She spins around to take in the vista of the horizon in all directions, looking to the other stations before she turns back to her own and starts to search for the necessary terminal...

After each Jedi lands gracefully (or not) on their respective platforms, two things immediately become clear. One, it is very cold in this rain. It's a steady, driving torrent that quickly seeps through robes to the skin and a cold that leaks down to the bone. Two, they are not, strictly speaking, alone.

As the weight of a body lands on one platform after another, the dim hum of power circulating through each's repulsors shifts in tone as another signature begins to be emmitted. A panel slides back behind the controls, set into the side of the emitter's base rather than the front, and a small black droid issues from each, sleek black metal with a red eye and four arms, one of which is tipped with a powerful blaster.

"Unauthorized access. Present credentials or prepare for termination. You cannot be here." The mechanical announcement blares loudly through the cutting rain, and the intermittent crashes of thunder as lightning splits the sky all around the platforms.

It is very clear that Aryn is not alone on the platform despite the overwhelming sound and presence of COLD rain. When an ID-10 mini-probe droid appeared and threatened termination if she could not present identification, Aryn resorted to the only sensible thing to do in this scenario.

Her lightsaber came to life in a sudden and decisive manner, and she struck the droid in a single swing, lopping the automaton in molten halves. "Sorry!" Aryn says instinctively, immediately feeling terrible for punishing the droid for performing its only function.

No additional thought is paid to the carcass that plummets below; the only way was forward. Aryn raises her free gloved off-hand to shield against the rain and steps forth to find this terminal and begin the process of interfacing and linking her platform with the others. She prayed that the process be within means to complete.

What now?! As Vhe is standing, the arrival of the seeker droid only further complicates things. The beeped out request in its tinny monotone cause her to sigh. Slowly her hand lowers to her side, unclipping her saber at her side, she points the beam down but before igniting the blade extends her other hand.

The Force connects her with the bit to manmaid parts and programming. But whatever she tries to do fails and it responds poorly as it does not back off. It actually seems to be offended as it spins about and issues its threat again and oddly sounds more insistent.

The blade of her saber hisses into existence as the rain creates steam as it hits.

With the help of the railing Kasia is able to get back to her feet more easily, despite one knee being more than a little unhappy with making contact with the ground at an unacceptable velocity. She is upright and making futile adjustments to her robe when the hiss of the door opening reveals a droid, and she freezes. "Huh." The soft sound is made to herself as one hand slowly lowers to grip the lightsaber at her hip, pulling the thing free as one thumb slides to the side to trigger the switch and activate it. "I don't suppose you can just go back into your little cubby there?" she asks, suspecting the answer already.

"Of course, credentials forthcoming," Ban responds, his tone the only dry thing left on the platform as he draws and ignites the ornately hilted sword at his side. "I daresay this ought forestall termination," Ban states with a raised black brow. Glowing green blade held at guard, he advances on the automated enforcer.

Elrych is attempting to regain his composure, still streightening himself from his spectacular landing. His cloths couldn't really be set right as the wind was still howling about in a rage. His head turns suddenly at the metalic voice that comes from the ID-10 Seeker. "Hey... You're like Nery's Bitty... herm."

Credentials? If Elrych had known he might have had the time to prepare some type of forgery. Perhaps his skills as a clever con man and scallywag were slipping with all the do-goodery her was on about these days. It really didn't bother him too much. "Welp... sorry." He grabs onto the force, gathering the air pressure in his hand before sending a thunderous air blast towards the droid meant to send it away and into the storm...

The Small droid was a bit harder to track than your average lifeform, more agile too. "Ah kriff..." He reaches for his lightsaber and turns it on, face becoming serious in demeanor. The blade could hardly be heard against the howling wind, yet it shone bright and blue as rain drops whispered off it in lines of steam.

The rain plasters his robes to his form in the freezing rain. Then there's a little droid asking for his papers, "Creditials? Creditials, I got them right here." Jax says patting his body down to grab his lightsaber in a quick draw. The saber's blade igniting it as he slashs upward and cutting the Id-10 with his saber. "Sorry. I don't think termination is on my schedule tonight."

Rey is several steps across the platform when that droid hovers in to view. With the rain battering down upon her, the thunder and lightning playing off of the atmosphere around them, she just nods her head once to the droid.

Using the Force to speak in to the droid's electronic brain, Rey even's her stare at its optical sensor. "I'm a friend." She tells the droid. "I'm here to help bring this sensor back online. Will you help me?" She asks as she steps toward the terminal, seeing it at the base of the Satelitte's central body, walking carefully around the droid's perimeter as she tries to engage it and persuade it to ally with her in this cause.

The storm continues to rage all around them; it never stops, so that's hardly a surprise. The platforms are slippery and footing is treacherous, making the engagement with the small seeker droids less simple than it might be if they were on the ground, and not isolated on individual silos. Shifting directions and moving erratically, the droids open fire on the intruders, with one particularly aggrieved unit shooting at Vhe with an incandescent, high-pitched warble of rage.

The setting is slightly different on Rey's platform, where the droid hovers closer, moving back and forth in only small increments, cautiously optimistic. "Friend? Many cycles... since these units have received service." A mechanical arm rotates to extend a scomp link, jamming it into the control panel's interface and whirring as it rotates the arms of the dial. A protective cover springs back from the buttons on every platform's control panels. "Override limit reached. Further intervention prohibited," the droid announces.

A deafening boom rocks all of the platforms as a finger of lightning reaches down and strikes at the platform where Elrych is facing off against one of the ID-10s.

Aryn was soaked through, the rain bone chilling and causing her teeth to chatter. By the time she made it to the terminal, it was an ordeal to maintain any sort of willpower with how her hands shook. An inward reflection of her lessons at the temple manifested a memory about controlling the temperature around her. As she recalled this memory, she wiped the screen of the terminal and tried to cue up its interface to initiate the link-sequence. It results in an error, her hand was shaking to much. So Aryn marshalls her influence over the force to blanket herself in more warmth. It starts at her core and expands outward, going from her toes to fingertips to the top of her soaked blonde head. "It is but a computer, Aryn. You have fought far more intimidating opponents than this." She says, trying to steady her nerves despite the crack of lightning flashing overhead. "Mother's mercy!"

Bad luck is following Vhe and as the saber twists through the rain quickly with a flex and shift of her shoulders, its not to attack but to try to intercept a rather angry and vexed shot aimed for her leg. The blade and her movemetns are not quick enough. Not in the slightest and it slams into her thigh, seering through the damp robe to hit muscle and flesh and nearly topple her. She slams into the railing with her side as she nearly loses her footing.

Vhe lets out a sound of pain that is swallowed by the storm and is quick to shake her head to try to free her vision of rain and hair. She's staggered, grunting through the pain as she tries to get her footing in order to handle the droid before her.

Kasia is well accustomed to the rain given where she has lived much of her life, but even so she doesn't usually linger in the driving rain for so long. Her hair is soaked, plastered to her head, her clothing is soaked, she is cold, but she seems intent to not bungle this mission up too badly. It's only once the droid fires at her that she moves to make an attack, not overly thrilled to, but not having a lot of other option at hand. The droid is small, the ground is wet, and her first two slashes at the thing are dodged, though the third hits, causing a burst of sparks to shower around it.

Ban Iskender parries a blaster bolt from the sentinel droid, riposting back with a flurried thrust, cut, and backswing, the last of which clips the nimble machine sending up a short lived bed spray of sparks amid the wild rain and raging wind. Drawing near the terminal in the process, the swordsman turns, guard up to keep any stray blaster bolts from striking either the terminal or himself.

The Seeker returns fire, the bolt slamming into the left leg of Elrych. His defences were up, the Jedi Armor he learned early on soaking up taking the brunt of the attack, leaving only a small yet bad burn where he otherwise would have likely lost a limb. The Corellian Ace reacts only by diving further onto the wet and slippery platform about three seconds too late for the impact.

In the process of getting up is when the pain and other sensations from Vhe crawls across their connection in force. His eyes widen, "VHE!" He shouts across the distance. Yet the Force pulls him away for a second. Instinctually he raises his blade to catch a massive lightning bolt with his blade. If someone could take a picture, that'd be a great poster for his company: The Thunderbolts.

A little stunned, he turns back towards where Vhe's platform is and reaches out with his hand, ushering in his command over the Force. He GRABs the droid violently giving her so much trouble to where he is and SMACKs it hard against the wet platform. There's a loud thunk and sparks. Looking now to both droids he twirls his blade around his wrist. Eyes become set in a serious way, his blue blade reflecting in his icy blue eyes. "You don't touch my girl..."

Jax dodges the blaster bolt of the Id-10 unit he shares a platform with. The rain seems to be coming down harder and the lighting strike to Elrych's plateform seems to cause Jax to change his plan. "Time out, droid. How about you take a moment consider if you want to do this or not. You still got all your diaods." Jax says as he backs to the console. He looks at the console as he takes up his saber in his left hand, his primary hand goes to entering in the sequence to activate the droid. Then he pauses for a moment, "That didn't work.... oh yeah. I forgot to carry the two." Then he changes a couple setting then hits the activation sequence. He looks up in time to see Elrych bolting across the platforms to assist Vhe. "That esculated. I hope Vhe's alright." He reaches out with the force to try to find the other jedi.

The droid attacks Zan, but perhaps her telekinetic attack discombobulated it a bit, or the sight of the saberstaff. It's hard to say. Zan is missed, at any rate, the droid's attack slinging through the air, less dangerous than the storm. The wind continues to tug at Zan's hair, but she's busy, so she's ignoring that. And now she slashes out with the green blade, holding the blue to the back a bit, in reserve. There's a definite speed and skill; she's perhaps been practicing with the little training remote, and these ID10 droids are somewhat easier to hit than that thing. Or at least they are not so dodgy and maybe a bit bigger? In any event, Zan hits it, and then she has a swift moment to look around. "Wait, where did all these buttons come from?"

Rey approaches the terminal in the rainy cold environment. She glances back at the droid when it speaks with its vocalized words sounding almost weak and... well... not maintained. "I won't stay long." She tells the droid as she works at the terminal, just tapping away at it.

The lightning strike behind her does make the young Jedi dip her shoulders as she crouches ever-so-slightly at the shock. She looks back, having not seen Elrych's defense from it, she just sees him, helping Vhe... and thusly she looks back to her terminal.

"When this platform is back online, it might help you restore some of your systems, if there's a maintenance protocal anyway..." She mutters that last part.

"I'm Rey, by the way." She introduces herself to the droid.

The storm seems to be intensifying, perhaps related to the droids and people atop the platforms, perhaps for no reason whatsoever. The defensive droids continue to harangue the Jedi, but they're designed to stop more ordinary threats than a full complement of lightsaber-wielding warrior monks. Maybe one or two rogue Jedi, as the Emperor might have envisioned. Who's to say.

Twin tongues of electricity jolt down toward Ban's platform and Rey's, the flash of light freezing the scene in stark frames like a strobe light as peals of thunder roll over the array a fraction of a moment later, none of the delay of a distant cloudburst here.

Aryn, reinvigorated by the warmth coursing through her body, finds the willpower to focus and take command of her hands once more. Setting to work, she begins to tap at the screen of the terminal and initiates the interface process and locking sequence. When the screen washes out with green, signifying her successful effort, she looks back the way she came then touches a hand to her ear. <<"My platform is activated, Ben. Can you pick me up? Maybe I can help one of the others.">> Aryn moves back out to the open and activates her personal encrypted IFF to be seen by the ship's sensors, hopefully. Her cape takes flight, and her hood blows back, causing wet strings of blonde hair to go all over and around her scarred face.

The droid is there and then gone, just as Vhe was preparing to settle this one way or another. Likely with her face down and soaked by the rain. With a quick glance towards Elrych to note where the droid had gone, its hard to make out how badly he is injured let alone how he is handling them both. But then there is the interface and she uses the railing to help guide her to it before she has to let it go. Her leg wound is making it difficult to put weight on her leg and she has to lean into the metal to get at the controls.

Now its time to focus, wiping rain from her face she keeps her saber activated and pointed downwards as she begins to work at interface. Nope. This is not working. Aryn's voice catches her attention. <<"This is Vhe...I can't seem to get it to work. I need a little more time and Elrych has need of help.">>

It's hard to miss the lightning show that happens a few platforms over isn't missed, and that show inspires Kasia to get to work so she can get out of here. These thoughts are interrupted as another blaster bolt is aimed her way, once again able to avoid being hit. "I'm regretting not learning how to communicate with you now," she informs the droid as she eyes the thing, then steps up to the terminal to set to work. She is efficient at this at least, working quickly in spite of the slight tremble in her hands due to shivering. She side-eyes the droid and its blaster a few times, trying to work quickly enough to avoid being shot. <"Okay. I've got it, it's online!" I'd love a pickup too, my droid here is still active and not at all happy with me."

Ban Iskender starts to access the terminal, before a tingle of imminent danger chills down his spine; or perhaps it's the imminent electricity as a great bolt of lightning arcs out of the sky toward him. It is pure instinct that brings his green sword skyward to re direct the coursing energy at an odd angle back into the roaring sky. He parried a lightning bolt, but was thrown back against the terminal by the force of nature. In that moment, the damaged droid fires, leaving a score of carbon on the chest piece of his pale grey armor, but merely pushing one black brow higher. "Your thunder is rather lacking, sir," he informs the droid, bringing his saber before himself in the left hand, while reaching back with the right to activate the beacon. However, distraction ill suits the effort and his beacon has yet to activate. It is disinclined to acquiesce to his request, one might say. Ban frowns.

<<"I'll be fine Babe, just get that platform up!">> Elrych calls across the comms just as the droid he had dragged across the way gets its sweet revengs. A shot in his left leg, right where the other one had hit, burning his flesh and corellian blood stripped pants. "ARGGG!" He shouts as the pain stings and moves through him. "Come on! Really?! The same place!?"

The Jedi takes a deep breath and lets the Force flow through him. With steadfast speed and immeasurable power hs swings his blade towards his Lady's aggressor, his blade missing the tiny agile floating droid. He twists around, his second strike slicing the droid in twain. Molton organge glowing innards split in half and fall onto the platform or out into the violent storm.

Twisting his blade around and around he moves in on his original opponants, swinging heavily towards it and instead cutting into the railing. It sparks, his blade squeeling with the impact.

Jax finishes dispatchingthe droid on his platform, <Greystorm here. My plate form is secured and the terminal is activated. I'm requesting pick up or instruction for Redeployment to assist others.> He watches for a moment, <Preferrable pick-up and redeployment. That's a long jump.>

Zandra, now that there's no droid pestering her, turns to all the buttons that are suddenly surprisingly there. She didn't do that - must have been the droid. Or - well, there's a lot of force activity happening so she's not sure. She does however look at the buttons. "Uhm," she mutters. "Uhm." A shrug, and she picks the two most likely looking ones. Her fingers hover over one for a few seconds, and then she has to push her sopping wet hair back out of her face. Then she reaches down to press the other button. << Zandra here. Droid dispatched, and I think the platform is coming online. If you can confirm that would be lovely. There are way too many buttons on this thing. >>

Rey separates herself from her computer. She steps over to the railing to look across the distance to where Vhe is. <"Chewie."> Rey says in to her comm unit. <"Come back and get Vhe."> Her eyes glance to the sky where she can hear the distant engines of the Falcon through the storm.

<"Vhe. Get back aboard the Falcon. You've done all you can. I'll get to your tower and take care o---">

A blast of lightning comes down from the sky above, it slams right in to the tower where Rey was standing, causing her to be engulfed by the electricity! Bright and powerful energy spreads across the platform around where the Jedi had been, until its left visibly surrounding her.

Rey's eyes are held shut, the lightning swirling around her body, crackling and popping. As she tips her head back she opens her eyes just in time for the energy to ... fade away. Rey's mouth opens a second later and she gasps for the wet rainy air.

An expression of wonderment crosses her own face as she just shakes away the lingering sensations of that lightning strike. She takes a step back from the sizzling railing and retreats backward to bump back against the computer terminal behind her once more.

"Chewie, lock in the auxillary power," Ben instructs in a focused, authoritative tone that is perhaps not appropriate, but he's not really thinking too hard about propriety at the moment (or ever). "This is going to be a bumpy ride."

The Falcon's return is heralded by the running lights that pierce through the fog and cloud only a short distance, emerging through the storm at speed and rapidly slowing to keep pace with the platforms. The ramp descends, and there is Chewie, roaring at the lightning and the rain and getting soaked. Wet Wookiee is a special scent that can only be experienced, not described.

Aryn is bundled in first, and while the Jedi's best healer is boarding, a message beeps out from Vhe's platform control. "Unauthorized use. Self-destruct sequence act-iv-ated." That can't be good.

As the Falcon reorients over her, a swarthy hand reaches down and drags her up, wet fur dragging in Vhe's face, and as it pulls away, there's a muted explosion as the platform, along with its S-thread booster, explodes, sending shrapnel flying away into the storm and towards the rocky, volcanic surface far below.

It's short work to pick up the other Jedi who have successfully activated their boosters, even with the ID droids still buzzing around like furious lanterns.

Jax, Kasia, and Zandra are re-deposited on Elrych's platform; Rey and Aryn, on Ban's.

"Do it NOW!" Ben shouts into the intercom, even as lightning strikes bloom across the Falcon's shields, sintering sparks dancing along before fading out in blurs of blue.

"Mother's MERCY.. CHEWIE.. YOU NEED A BATH! NO THE RAIN DOES NOT COUNT. USE. SOAP! My GOODNESS, UGH!" Aryn casts her arms at her side, flinging the moisture from her gloves hoping the scent might travel with the water, but alas.

She is re-deployed and lands on the platform for Ban's assigned area. With the droid focused on the gentleman, Aryn closed in quickly and cut the droid in molten halves. "The droid has fallen, Ban. Be about it then while I watch over you." She calls over the sound of the rain, pivoting and holding a guard.

<<"NO I can get it, I can get it this time around.">> Her voice sounds strained as the intiate remains there, leaning near the interface to keep her upright. Her leg is starting to shake with the strain of keeping her weight, making her wince. But the gust and rush of the Falcon above her brings her head up just as the warning is beeped out. "No...no no.." she starts to hurrying through the input panel when there is a ooomph sound from her as she is hauled up by her soaking robes. Wet wookie hair across her face before she finds herself safely in the interior...well on the ramp moments before the platform shreds itself apart in an explosion.

She lets out a sound as she hits the deck and lets her leg give out. Rather it just decides to on its own. She hits the ground and crumbles up as she yanks off the rebreather and tries to get herself up and to a seat. Her left thigh has a rather angry looking wound present and accounted for. She manages to just sit herself up against the bulkehead before her head thuds back against it.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

What would this trip be without one more parting shot from the little droid, ID 3, who will eventually seek out vengeance against them all for what happened to it here today. Kasia manages to avoid that one as well, accepting the lift from her now activated platform to the one that Elrych occupies. Once feet are firmly planted on that platform she hurries once again over to the display, using a soggy sleeve to try and wipe away droplets so she can set to work. As before she's a dab hand at this part, working quickly and efficiently with the controls until the whole thing kicks to life. "I've got it!" she calls, looking over at the lightsaber wielding Elrych as he contends with his droid. Unlike her.

Ban Iskender inclines his head to Aryn at the young knight's arrival and swift dispatch of the tormenting droid. "With my thanks and regards for a blow well struck, I shall," he voices, deactivating and sheathing the saber to free both hands for the computer interface. THEN he is at last successful. <<"Platform four is active and linked. We are prepared for re-embarking,">> he informs the Falcon. Stepping swiftly to join Aryn and Rey, "One must admit," he notes of the violent storm arcing in the dark skies surrounding them. "The firmament makes for a remarkable canvas."

Elrych is so focused on getting this remaining seeker out of the way and the platform online just so he can go see Vhe and make sure she's okay, that he doesn't notice Kasia run past him to man the console. His blade cuts deep through the 1D10, cuasing it to spark and fly around errantly. This also makes his second swing harder on landing a hit. Eventually the thing steadies it's self for just a moment and he finishes slicing it into nothing more than slagged parts. "Et Chuta..." He curses at it before turning towards the console. There he notices Kasia who promtly informs her of his success... He nods to her

Dripping wet, in pain, and breathing heavily he turns towards the falcon and books it. his lightsaber extinguishes and is reclipped to his belt as he runs.

Jax had emerged in the platform to help but there had been no need. He'd watched Kasia get the platform's computer up and running. Then Elrych take out the Id-10 unit. He turns and looks at the Falcon, <Platform 5 is handled. I, uhm, would like to say I provided managerial instruction. We all know that's a lie. I think we need pick up before that other ID unit gets here.> Jax says though keeping his saber at the ready to deflect.

Zan is still dripping wet, hair half out of it's usual neat and tidy braid, falling over her shoulder, down to her waist. She gets deposited with Elrych, Kasia and Jax, and since they have the computer stuff ready to go, she looks to defend. Which means that poor ID 3 as it comes in finds itself the receiving end of a green saber. No a blue one. Okay fine. Both, as Zan shows she took Ax's lessons to heart, and keeps the little droid from forever chasing them with hatred in its core. She stops then, still watching to see what else is going on. A nod to Jax and Kasia, as Zan makes sure everyone is well. <<It's beautiful in a realy eerie sort of way.>> she says, as she disengages her saber, and resets it back on her belt, clipping it securely. << Now what? >>

Rey had watched the plathform explode before the Falcon arrived to gather her up. Turning to the Falcon, with others on the ramp already, Rey elected to leap higher to land on top of the Falcon's hull. She'd spoken in to her comm-unit to tell Ben where she was as she stalked over across the ship's hull to watch while the vessel moves through the rain toward Ban's tower.

Aryn quickly deals with the security droid and Ban seems to garner a success with the computer systems. With rain pouring down over her, Rey turns to the Falcon's middle and walks toward one of the hatches...

Within moments, the interior hatch opens and Rey drops in from above. She lands in a crouch, water dripping all around her on to the deck plating as she rushes toward the cockpit.

"GGGWARRRHHWWWW!" Chewbacca roars in protest, either to the storm or Aryn's assertions, only those who understand Shyriiwook really know. With Ban's platform online, the Wookiee helps drag the Jedi back onto the Falcon for the second time since they've jumped off it, and once Ban and Aryn are on the ramp, the ship strafes left, the ramp clipping the railing of the final spire's service area and nearly dislodging it from its tenuous balance; they do sort of resemble enormous industrial floating tops. But once again, a strong Wookiee hand is available to assist the Jedi getting back on board and out of the rain.

Once the hatch seals up behind them, Ben's voice comes over the intercom. "Nobody dead? Hold on, I'm getting us into hyperspace. The Run should be open, but losing one of the platforms complicates things. We need to re-run the calculations, you can't just go bouncing through hyperspace, especially in the Deep Core. Not unless you want a one-way trip." The change in gravity is substantial as the Falcon lurches to a stop before rubberbanding into nothing, vanishing away to lightspeed.