Log:Knights of Ren: Sharper Than A Serpent's Tooth
The Knights travel to Serenno to root out a traitor.
OOC Date: June 22, 2021
Location: Serenno
Participants: Tamsin Cas as Self/GM, Tarq Najjic, Sebek, Valeska Jaivon as KS-5309, Zyrette as KS-0613, Knights of Ren
[ Tamsin Cas (Cas)]
The First Order had had no small amount of trouble with Serenno. Between agents of the New Republic (allegedly) stealing valuable artifacts that the Sith were themselves trying to loot, to the Serenno ruling body choosing to side with the Republic (mostly) and limiting FO presence on world, and the increased difficulty in moving in and around the planet, the news that there was yet //another// loose end that needed tying up on this bedeviled world was not good news to the ears.
And so, the Knights had been dispatched to Serenno to seek out one Lyn Hier, a former naval officer turned traitor, who was believed to be preparing to sell First Order secrets to their enemies. The instructions were clear. Make landfall on planet, infiltrate the compound, eliminate all threats and capture Lyn Hier for interrogation. Alive was better than dead, but they would take dead, if it came to that. Less paperwork.
The Night Buzzard, ever faithful, had dropped into the system and made atmosphere under cover, in an uninhabited part of the planet, not far from Hier's rather reclusive compound. All the better.
Out here...no one can hear you scream.
Tamsin, having stepped out of the medical bay only moments before the ship had touched down, was one of the first to step down from the ramp. She was hooded, masked, and armed, as always, although she had not ignited her blade. "We are not far from the compound, but it might be best to move quietly, to see if we can evaluate the security in place before we go in blasters blazing. Because this was a thing that happened.
In the distance, the walls of the compounds were visible against the fading light of the gloaming.
[ Tarq Najjic (T)]
"You speak wisdom. Agreed. Worth attempt." The man with a gymnast's shoulders and a detectable Kuati accent wears no helmet. He keeps pace with Tamsin as she descends the ramp. One hand slips behind his back and up under his velvet cape. When it comes back, it holds a lightsaber with gold inlaid amidst its tinted chrome and an emitter at both ends.
He touches the earbud in his left ear. <"Comm check. Who hears Tarq Najjic?">
[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]
A new day, a new set of armour. This one fits a bit loose: slightly too loose. Whoever had this armour last definitely didn't have much in the hips department, though. But what could she do? Hers was beyond repair and she's lucky to be alive. 5309 follows the Knights down the ramp, blaster rifle in both hands and barrel pointed down. She is silent, listening to Tamsin and awaiting marching orders. Silent until the comm check. <"Loud and clear, Tarq.">
[ Zyrette (Zee)]
KS-0613 was once again assigned to accompany the Knights in their latest mission. Sergeant KS-0613 now. She files out with the others after the two knights. Falling into formation, the storm trooper touches her comms. <"Copy that, Knight Najjic."> She responds tone clipped, professional, none nondescript.
[ Sebek (SE)]
It has oft been said in the annals of history that one aught not to grasp strings better left to fray. Alas, for the Knights of Ren, you serve, and then you die. And thus it is such that Sebek of the Desert, Flagbearer of Coret, Conqueror of the Sixteenth Deck, Consumer of Hounds, Wielder of Tei Tenga, He Who Hunts was not the shining beacon of civility of which he normally comported himself. Abandonment did not suit him. His topknot was frayed. His sharp talon nails were chewed. His battle cassock was... fraying. His eyeliner was /perf/, possibly because we still hadn't determined whether or not it was makeup or tattooing.
And his eyes! Behold the eyes of grief and rage! Red and gold, of power and passion and fury!
"I lay a curse upon these vile, fetid cancerous growths." was his measured, humble opinion, oozed out in that velvety thickly-accented voice of his. "Thus we test their measure! Their fury shall be naught in the face of our power!" Sebek the Lost held something in his hand, a long baton-like weapon held in a weird reverse grip, as though he was going to strike with the flat end. "I decree thee, She Who Rages, direct me at our foes! Blood runs not, and this is unacceptable!"
[ Tamsin Cas (Cas)]
The team, Knights and troopers both, had been working together long enough, that they moved as a well-oiled machine, clearing the distance between the compound and the ship with not too much effort. The closer they came, the more they could see. The walls were high, perhaps the height of three normal standard humans. Or one and a half wookiees, so as not to be speciesist. The stone was smooth, with very few handholds, if any. Guard towers were at each of the corners of the rectangular compound. There was no sign, yet, that they had been detected.
Tamsin, as she moved, swung her head back and force, trying to pick out anything she could in the deepening dark. It was a tricky time, with the light fading in and out, but it seemed to pose her no trouble, "I am not spotting any movement outside of the walls."
[ Tarq Najjic (T)]
<"Tower at each corner, movement - within."> The man in purple and black approaches the southern wall. <"See gate on east. Tarq Najjic thinks - east towers control it, yes?"> And without further ado, he begins to scale the wall, finding a spot for a hand here, and a foothold there, until he's about halfway up. Truly, a body enhanced with the forbidden power of the Force is majestic.
Then he misses a grip and slides down in slow motion, succeeding only at arresting his speed by scrabbling at the wall. "Mmmm." Majestic.
[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]
KS-5309 moves with the group, scanning the area around her. No one is running at them. Yet, anyways. That is subject -- and likely -- to change. As they near the compound, her hand goes up to her helmet to zero in on a few noteworthy points up ahead. <"Cameras. They're watching all points of entry, but have left blindspots in between."> Splitting from the group, KS-5309 makes it to the wall of the compound and slides down until she finds one of many small boxs. <"Foolish to have them on the outside, mmm?"> A quick glance over her shoulder to make sure its clear and KS-5309 makes quick work of disabling at least some of the camera. <"They'll be blind over here.">
[ Zyrette (Zee)]
0613 tries to move swiftly, before of their present actions gain the attention of the guards. Such as Knight Sebek, but no one's naming names here. As 5309 disables some of the Cameras, 06113 indicates the blind spots accessible by under growth. She gestures to the remaining Troops to assume sneaky posturing. Over comms she indicates her intention <"We can access the compound here, now that cameras are disabled.">
[ Sebek (SE)]
Speaking of Knight Sebek, where'd he gone? Someone had let the lizard-hound-thing slip off the leash.
From the eastern side of the base, far from the assembled team of Knights and Troopers all, came a bellow of ungodly proportions. To say it was loud was to say that a sea was damp. When I say Sebek was unhinged, I want you to understand that I mean it completely literally, in that his mouth had gone full blown Mileena and was screaming at the top of his lungs in challenge.
"STAINS UPON THE SAND, I BECKON THEE!" was the distant, booming proclamation that followed. Then there was a horrible snap-hissing noise as Tei Tenga introduced itself to the proceedings. "COME! SHOW ME WHAT PASSES FOR FURY AMONGST YOUR MISBEGOTTEN KIND!"
[ Tamsin Cas (Cas)]
Tamsin, who looked over to Sebek as he moved, offered no word of comfort to him, whatever she might be inclined to do. Instead, she simply proceeded ahead, following the path being blazed by KS-0613, "Soon, Sebek, we will find you a suitable foe on which to vent your rage." That, she knew, was the only sort of comfort that Sebek craved. Or that, perhaps, the Falleen would understand.
Once she was close enough to catch sight of Tarq's attempt to scale the wall, she flicked her wrist, her voice low across the comms in her helmet and Tarq's ear, "One moment." Alas, in helping one, she missed Sebek's disappearance. Until the sound of his bellow was impossible to miss. "Sebek." It might have been the closest to a curse anyone would ever hear from the good doctor, and she frowned, unseen behind the mask as the alarms began to blare and the sounds of boots rang on the courtyard.
Two roads diverged in the woods.
[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]
KS-5309 has just finished disabling the camera when Sebek runs in all snake-mouth and screaming. <"Well. I suppose it's a useful distraction for flanking maneuvers."> It's certainly not her place to judge the tactics of the Knights. Not out loud, at least. Though they might be able to mindread--- let's not think about that. She runs after Sebek to provide back up for his rampage. Because that just seems to be a lot more fun than sneaking in. <"Head's up! We got movement at the gates!">
[ Tarq Najjic (T)]
Sometimes you need a lift from a friend. Tarq goes sailing up just past the peak of the wall and drops softly to the ground. <"Hidden door. Tarq Najjic will open it. Is in perfect position."> And He activates his lightsaber, jamming it as far as the handle into door-panel flush with this external wall. The door's armor is heavy, but it's not meant to stand up to this. It takes a bit of time, but he's soon separating the door from where it would usually slide back. <"Let us not waste distraction.">
[ Zyrette (Zee)]
0613 waited until it was obvious The two knights and the rest of the Trooper unit were on their way. She then jogged back towards Sebek called for combat, and 5309 warned of approaching enemy. 0613 quickly ducked behind cover, and went to a knee. She brought her riffle to bear and looked for a shot.
[ Sebek (SE)]
Sebek of the Desert, Flagbearer of Coret, Conqueror of the Sixteenth Deck, Consumer of Hounds, Wielder of Tei Tenga, He Who Hunts wouldn't know subtle if it offered him its business card. Which it had, in the past, many times, but he always ate it. Such is the way of the Desert.
When the doors opened, rather than doing the smart thing and lulling out the individuals inside into duels (wherein he had a clear and present advantage), he just straight up charged. The only thing missing was the cry of LEEEERRRROOOOOOY etc. Tei Tenga whirled hungrily, removing an arm, pivoting, and then bisecting another man straight down the middle. He was going to have real trouble pulling himself together. "Yes! YES! Tei Tenga demands glorious bloodshed! Make your funerary preparations! You shall meet your gods shortly!"
[ Tamsin Cas (Cas)]
It was indeed a benefit to be able to flank your opponents, even if the manner in which this was accomplished was, perhaps, not ideal. Still, the mixed group split into two distinct segments. Half of the troopers, including 0613 and 5309 went to support the Mad Falleen, while the others, including Tamsin, who could yeet, but could not, herself, be yeeted at the moment, waited for the door Tarq had found to be cut from its hinges and to swing open to admit them. As soon as she was clear and through the door, she ignited the lightsaber that was already in her hand, leading the charge into the backs of the force of armored mercenaries who were moving to defend the compound.
All told, there were well on about a dozen of the armored mercenaries, who, having responded to the immediate threat, which might have been either being saber sliced and diced, or eaten by Sebek (or both, probably both), and did not immediately notice either the group behind them, or the troopers moving in at Sebek's back.
[ Tarq Najjic (T)]
Did they /really/ just open the gate when Sebek shouted at them? Security protocols seem very lax, Tarq reflected, as he dashes out behind the mercenaries. He drops to his knees as he swings his lightsaber out to the side, sliding forward and bisecting two mercenaries. He rises back up to his feet and jabs the lightsaber straight through another soldier who starts to bring his weapon to bear on him. "Is much better when we plan /around/ Sebek - rather than plan /with/ Sebek," he comments.
[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]
KS-5309 is following up behind Sebek with a wild grin pulling under her helmet. <"And here I thought this wasn't going to be any fun."> What can se say? His enthusiasm is quite contagious and she never claimed to be /utterly/ professional. Just good at what she does and that's often scouting and shooting things. She's not as foam-mouthed as Sebek, but she can certainly appreciate a fellow connoisseur of the art of war. Her rifle comes to bear and introduces one of the brutes to sweet, laser-y death.
[ Zyrette (Zee)]
0613 Takes careful aim at the mercenaries that poured out to meet the mad Falleen. Her bolt went wide of her mark, but she did dwell on it. Instead she focused on her next shot and kept her mind on the task at hand.
[ Sebek (SE)]
Violence begets violence, and in Sebek's case quite a lot of it was begotten. Tei Tenga screamed in joy as a leg went walkabout away from its owner, and followed up with a loud CRUNCH.
Crunch?
Oh yes, you see, for those of you who are having your Sebek Slaughter cherry popped, Tei Tenga is a bit of an odd lightsaber. The hilt was about the size of a saberstaff and thus the mad Falleen held it in a wider grip, but where the other end would be a second emitter there was a small, flanged mace-like pommel. It was sturdy, it was sharp, and it hurt like hell when it busted open a skull, like now. No surprise, Sebek had felled more than one Jeedai with it.
"BEHOLD!"
The roar of triumph!
"For we bring battle and glory this day! Come forth! This cannot be all of you! Boredom is unbecoming of He Who Hunts!" For Sebek of the Desert, talking was /definitely/ a free action.
[ Tamsin Cas (Cas)]
"I will remember that for the next time!" Tamsin, who had also waded into the group, made short work of another of the mercenaries, the fight being, just as the Knights liked it, bloody and brutal. "This is all a work in progress!" The alarms, oddly, as the team continued the fight, pincering the remaining mercenaries between two flanks of friendlies (for some value of friendly), went almost entirely dark, only the red of lightsabers, the rainbows of blaster fire and the red flood emergency lights remaining. Even the blaring of the alarms cut off, leaving the whine and snap hiss of battle the only sound in the now night.
[ Tarq Najjic (T)]
Enemies are falling, as planned. Still, as the lights deactivate, then the red emergency lights deactivate, and then even the klaxons fall silent, he holds his blade out before him and looks both ways. His eyes unfocus for a moment, then he looks back - his back being toward the center of the compound. <"Beware. True danger lies ahead. Traitor spends - merc - lives, because she entrusts her safety to - someone else."> He steps to the side so both the guards and the building can be 'ahead' of him, one to his left and the other to his right.
[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]
Then there was silence. Silence. Her barrel pointed to the ground again, KS-5309 moves away from Sebek and starts a slow, tight perimeter. Something is not right here. Where did the fun go? One foot in front of the other at a sideways step, barrel pointed in any direction she is currently looking. <"No movement in the towers. No movement... anywhere. This place has gone dark."> Pause for dramatic effect. <"This does not bode well."> The black helmet turns towards Tarq and you can almost see the raised brow in the tilt of her head.
[ Zyrette (Zee)]
0613 changed the angle of her riffle stance going a little slack as she held fire. She din't relax or lower her weapon, so much as wait for the next boot to drop. With the lights off, she didn't trust want to shoot blindly around Knight Sebek. She did start to slowly move in keeping low, and to cover if possible.
[ Sebek (SE)]
"Then let us find this someone else who deems themselves talented. We shall demonstrate the error of their ways when we feast upon their flesh!" Sebek had two moods: Hungry, and Hungry While Killing Everybody In The Room. He was clearly in the latter at the minute, as the lightsaber spun around like the galaxy's most dangerous rave party, lopping legs for later consumption and, when the last guy was left in a gibbering panic, bisecting him. "Behold! Meals for a week! Ensure the carcasses are preserved properly, I will not have them spoiled."
[ Tamsin Cas (Cas)]
There was such a thing as the silence of the tomb, and it was here, now, in the aftermath of the battle at the gates. Tamsin, who lowered her saber only a little, used it to signal to a few of the troopers in the back, "As the Knight instructs. Secure the remains and transport them back to the ship." And that left the three Knights and about two thirds of the troopers, including 5309 and 0613. "The rest, with Knight Najjic."
Unlike the gate, the estate they would find completely abandoned of life. There were droids in their recharging stations, and signs of activity, but no sentient life that could be seen, as they began to move through the rather impressive, if slightly bleak estate house. They would notice one odd thing. All electrical power to the estate had been cut...or rerouted. Security was down, doors were unlocked and easily pushed ajar.
Tamsin, who kept her weapon at the ready, moved in to begin seeking for their target, her voice thoughtful and solemn over the comms. "If you sensed something, Tarq, then they weren't guarding an empty building."
[ Tarq Najjic (T)]
"Sensed /something/." Tarq walks from room to room, not being terribly methodical and heading towards the back of the house, leaving troopers plenty of areas to check. "Should be here, yes? Unless is all a ruse. Cannot sense her." Which does not mean much, given his relative inexperience.
"Would be relief to be shot at. At least enemy reveals self." And so he goes, muttering to himself, the red light giving a sign of where he is.
[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]
KS-5309 moves through the compound in the same fashion as she runs her perimeters: meticulous and slightly bored. Each room is entered with caution, barrel-first and hopeful the trigger can be pulled. Many of these rooms are met with disappointment. <"That only leaves the back of the house. I think I'm picking up some noise in that direction. Mayhaps we can bring this welcoming party to them?"> But she's just a scrub with a number. She doesn't call the shots... even though she's heading in that direction regardless.
[ Zyrette (Zee)]
0613 executes a methodical sweep of the premises as the others search as well. It is during this search she spots a try of spilled food. <"I have an indication someone might have retreated through the basement."> She announces quietly on the comms.
Gesturing for silence to anyone else in her direct vicinity, 0613 moves in closer to investigate. Crouched by the cellar, she gestures her intent to enter. She waits, a moment to see if anyone else is joining her, before slowly turning the hand on that door.
[ Sebek (SE)]
"Of COURSE!" Ow my ears. Sebek desperately needed to grow a volume knob. Tei Tenga hummed angrily as he jimmied the handle, seeing it go nowhere. There was but one solution. "Locked, as all good obstacles are! Let us see how it fares against true, unlimited power!" The lightsaber screamed as Sebek carved out the frame where the deadbolts and hinges were, and kicked it in.
[ Tamsin Cas (Cas)]
The sound of the lightsaber. No, not the lightsaber. The sound of Tei Tenga, uniquely Sebek's, screamed with an almost animal fury as the Falleen cut his way through the hinges, molten metal dripping like spilled blood sparking as it hit the floor in gobs. The sound of the door slamming against the stairwell wall was loud as a gong, the well illuminated only by red flood lights and the light of cooling metal and red lightsaber.
There was, still, that eerie quiet, should the team proceed down the stairs, which would lead them into a storage room which appeared filled with a handful of domed pods.
Tamsin, who took care to step over the molten metal (she had not worn her lava shoes today), began down along the stairs (it was large enough for about three abreast), ending up in the pod room. "This...is bringing back some very terrible memories." Those who had been on Muunilinst would know what she was talking about. But these were massive, 2.5 meters (8 feet for the non-Sebek amongst us) at least. Four stood closed. Three were open.
[ Tarq Najjic (T)]
At the bottom of the stairs, Tarq's eyes are narrowed as he approaches the leftmost pod relative to the entrance. "No patience - for mysteries." And he thrusts the lightsaber through the middle of the closed pod door. It goes partway, then he meets more resistance, which he pushes the saber through, then pulls it back, looking into the hole. "Maybe old fashioned way is better," he admits. "Where are controls?"
[ Tamsin Cas (Cas)]
The enemy was within. The enemy was always within. And as Tarq attacked one of the pods...nothing happened. It remained as mobile and inert as it bad before he had breeched the containment. Not so for the rest of the room, as a trio of dark forms stepped out into the open from the shadows. In their way, in the dark of their armor, they reminded one of the Knights own troopers. But there was nothing sentient in the massive forms that charged out at the now clustered invading force.
[ Zyrette (Zee)]
0613 follows Tamsin down the stairs, as they step over the ruined remains of the what had once been a locked door. Her riffle as always is held low, but ready. She watches as Tarq impales a closed pods, the sight of the thing instinctively repulsive. As the three lifeless figures step out of the shadows, 0613 doesn't hesitate. She drops to a knee and takes fire, only afterwards dropping back to find cover.
[ Sebek (SE)]
"...oh."
That was underwhelming.
"Pitiful machines made in a warrior's image. A speedbump, naught more." This oddly dissonant dismissal of the impending droids was a violent contrast to the mad Falleen's slice and dice antics. One of the droids went in half and another started losing limbs. "Talent brought not by experience, but /programming/! Cowardly! Wasteful! Die, Sons of Mohc!"
[ Tamsin Cas (Cas)]
Perhaps there were some in the group who had some experience with such machines, but Tamsin was not one of them. She saw only something which needed to be eliminated, and so, she moved to eliminate it. There appeared to be no other movement in the room, but surely this was not going to be a mission which ended in failure. That would just be undignified. Also, bad PR for the Knights. Perhaps something to consider when the danger was passed.
Tamsin's blade joined the fire of 0613 and the blade of Sebek, and another of the troopers was brought to heel, leaving only a single subject up and running. As for the other four pods? Those were coming to life, lights blinking on their blank faces.
[ Tarq Najjic (T)]
As those dark troopers that were activated advance on the party, Tarq looks past them, and steps aside into the shadows himself, moving quickly to the back of the room. "Movement - door /just/ sealed. Cover me, yes?" He raises the saber over his head and drives it into the top of the door join, where the two sides meet, and begins pulling it down slowly, only once the glowing metal streams as a liquid and turns to slag as it hits the floor. "There - is - NO ESCAPE," he shouts at the door. Maybe he's audible through the growing crack. Maybe not.
[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]
KS-5309 stayed back to watch their flank. No sense in having them getting pinned against the wall. Besides, the Knights have this covered. Still, when there are things to kill -- organic or not -- KS-5309 needs to get in on that. She pops off a shot and... totally misses. It was a warning shot. Yes.
[ Zyrette (Zee)]
0613 rolls back into a crouched position, bringing the riffle to bear once more. As Knight Najjic calls for cover fire the Trooper does as bidden and provides cover fire. No reconditioning needed for this soldier. She picks one of the remaining Dark Troopers and lets loose a round.
[ Sebek (SE)]
Sebek looked /bored/. The last one, standing, barely attacking, was prey for the Falleen's lightsaber. Readying it in front of him, and with speed unbecoming of a mere mortal, he cleaved into pieces over and over again.
Then, his free hand shot out and ripped out the mechanical spinal column that held it together. With a clench of his fist, the circuitry exploded, showering him in sparks and oil and cowardice. "Behold the fate of your battle automatons, fallen against real warriors," he explained to... well, whoever was listening. "Now come and show me your true prowess!"
[ Tamsin Cas (Cas)]
There was someone listening, that much was true. But, it was more likely that what Lyn Hier heard was Tarq's shout, first, and then Sebek's bellow, as the Kuati Knight cut the door from its hinges. This was a night of doors. When the door fell back into the room beyond, their prey stood within. At least she had not bothered to pretend fealty, and she was dressed in house robes, and not her former naval uniform. And she stood defiant. She might have been a traitor, but she was no fool. She was the animal, and she had been cornered.
Tamsin, though, as she was wont to do, left Tarq to handle his business, while she turned to her own, "These things are coming online, we need to destroy them." And then, she went to the pod Tarq had not skewered, searching for the power cables to destroy them. There were three in total still powering up. She was on one.
[ Tarq Najjic (T)]
When the door opens and the woman they're after stands revealed in her nightgown and slippers, the Knight in the velvet cape meets her eyes. He says nothing, simply raising a hand, and her arms are held to her sides as she rises slowly into the air and hovers towards him, rotating in the air. Saber in his left hand, he pulls a set of cuffs from under the harness and claps it around one of her hands, then the other. <"Target in custody.">
He sets her down once her hands are bound and takes up the binders in his right hand, pulling her with him as he steps back towards where the droids are activating. There he stops, keeping his saber between the prisoner and the pods. It wouldn't do to come this far only to have her killed by her own minions or errant blaster fire.
[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]
With her warning shot quite successful, KS-5309 resumes her watch. It seems the target has been located which, hopefully, means a successful mission. Back in time for mess even? It's stew night. Idly, she moisies over to one of the pods and, instead of pulling the plug, she fires a shot at the wall where it's plugged in. There. Efficient /and/ satisfying.
[ Zyrette (Zee)]
0613 watches as the last Dark Trooper falls. While 5301 and Knight Cas see to two of the pods, the sergeant sees to the remaining third. Rather than shooting though, she takes her riffle butt to the power source to make sure they get no more guests to their party. After all it seemed like everyone was just about partied out.
[ Tamsin Cas (Cas)]
One by one, whether by fire, by force, or by cleverness, the three of the remaining pods which had been powering up, we re deactivated. Once again, the estate was silent. Dead within, never alive but dead within, and the object of their search. Tamsin, peeking around from where she was cutting the last of the cables, called out to Tarq, "Prisoner secured?" Prisoner secured. "Oh good. Now, the question is...do we bring her back to the FO..." And, as she looked around, "How many more know about these things? I've never seen anything like them. I assume this is what she was going to sell." Tamsin pointedly did not speak to the prisoner herself. "We should get out before something else wakes up in here."
