Log:Morellian War II

Taking the damned Dam

OOC Date: October 31, 2022
Location: Latonga Dam, Morellia
Participants: Clan Kora, Amal Jha, Hadrix Kora, Dalrion, Xavier Harcourt, Chon Kohnner, Sana Ryder NPC, Bossk NPC, Sumi Kora

Orbital Drop pods were individually powered pods with short burst thruster functionality that were used to control descent, and it was the very vehicle being used for the mission to the dam. Latonga dam controlled both the power in the capital city, and supplied the most fresh water to the planet. Since the planet's annexation to Imperial control, Latonga had been the bargaining chip intended to demand obeisance from the natives. It had worked, until today...

Warlord Sumi Kora's face was displayed on the terminals inside each of the drop pods as they were positioned to drop into the atmosphere. Special forces along with elements of Sumi's war party were being dispatched from the looming Striker cruiser holding high orbit. Everyone participating in the mission was inside a pod.

"You will be landing ahead of the war group to stir up the stinger's nest. Your objective is to make noise, and draw out the First Order troops along the dam. Be mindful of snipers in the towers. Ensure you're wearing your IFFs on your armor. My Marines will be sniping from nearby, picking off the officers and troopers as they come out to fight. At some point, they're going to get so tired of dying, they'll want to bring out their big guns. Either commandeer those armored vehicles from the First Order, or destroy them. Regardless of what happens, I want that dam. With water and turbines, we control the power in the region, it sharpens the blade we hope to put against their throats. Good luck out there, we're counting on your victory."

Sumi's image cut from the feed, and the view ports in the pods frosted over as Morellia came into view and they were tethered out to the void. A countdown began and when it reached zero, the pods were launched from the vessel, shooting like a bullet toward the planet at a very precise location. It goes without saying, this sensation and experience is one-of-a-kind.

Within her pod, Amal looked up, as Sumi's orders were given, and then down again, as she ensured that all of her equipment was secured and where it needed to be. She had added a grav belt for the occasion, in addition to the IFF tag, on the off chance that, much like the water, she might be forced into a position of tumbling over the edge of the dam. One did like to have contingency plans. But did not answer Sumi's command, only tapped out a signal on her comms that she was ready for battle.

Dalrion tugged the helmet of his void armor on and looked around. "Im sorry, but.. did she says the point of us dropping in was to get shot at? like.. are we bait? why do i feel like bait." he frowned under his helmet, "and to think i spent all this time trying NOT to get shot at.." he sighed over the vox and then forced a chuckle, "So uh.. prize to the person who gets shot at the most if we get out the other side? is there enough time for to spray paint 'first order are cheese weasels' on my armor? or would that be cheating"

Deep breath, hyperventilate three, deep breath. The vacuum was very close, too close, and with recent exposure to the threat of vacuum Al'Verde Kora was already set with his teeth gritted. Close quarters meant less ability to have bigger weapons ready - so pistols were prepared, and his sword.

<<"First Order infantry will move en mass, they fight by numbers, each of them are expert marksmen but they prefer to use accuracy by volume over small unit precision. If you have ordinance be ready to make use of it. If you have anything that covers wide areas, now is the time.">>

Flexing and relaxing in his pod, deep breath. Three hyperventilated. Lips moving now, mic off to keep off comms, "Par'te Verde te'haat'kyr kyr'am. Te'Verde nayc'chaab kyr'am, Par'ibac takisit oya'la."

Stuffed into a metal pod and fired at terminal velocity towawrds a planet isn't new on his list, but it's been some time since Xavier can say he's done it. So long, in fact, that the G-forces work their magic on his insides, knotting his stomach with his intestines and starting a debate amongst them about which function was which. Fortunately, he doesn't vomit the caff he stupidly drank before getting it. Why did he even have that? It wasn't even good. One of those field rations in a squeezable container that was more sludge than liquid. No matter now. So long as it stays down, he'll be content.

"Make noise? I do love my mission objectives to be painfully simple."

He looks through the thick glass in front of him to the rapidly approaching Morellia and draws in a breath. It has been some time since he was a sentient bullet. It has been even longer since he's seen home. He draws a metallic cylinder into his right hand and grasps it securely. "Prepared to say hello. Loudly."

<<"I liiiike clossssssssssssssse quarterssss.">> Bossk is heard over the comms, enthusiasm translated from the sibilant noise he made when he spoke. <<"I have ordnance.. Commander, Haaaa-haa.">> Bossk's comment is the last heard as all pods are released to plummet to the surface. The pods appear from the ground to be like meteors racing for the surface. Inside the pod, it's hot, the viewport glowing orange from re-entry. Eventually, their view changes from the red hot to the green and sandy brown of the ground below.

The trip to the surface does not take long, and thankfully, the pods moved so quickly that anti-air was not an option for the First Order (from the chance roll).

Pods begin to smash into the ground, their design intended to cushion the blow of inertia and concussion, granting the riders inside the cognizance to pull the release lever and 'pop' the lid of their pods to exit. They found themselves cratered into the ground with natural cover from the dirt that mounded up around them. Ahead, the dam set, a patrol of stormtroopers already rushing in using a skirmisher's formation!

Bossk levels the playing field advantage, releasing a plume of smoke from his cannister rifle that quickly swept across the immediate area. THUUUMP!

Sana Ryder emerges from her pod, drawing out a pair of beskad blades, eager for war as one might expect from a Mandalorian; she charges into the smoke. <"To battle!">

Amal, having prepped herself for the descent, flexed all of her joints as the pod touched ground, allowing the momentum to move up and through her, using the force of the explosion of the canister to proper her upward and out of the pod. She was not someone who ever had the ability to use cover. But that was well, as Amal hit the ground running, white form wraithlike in the soon billowing smoke, trusting to instinct and the brief view she had had had of the incoming forces before the smoke went off to carve her way into the incoming troopers, stabbing and slashing as she downed one body and sent another on their back. There was no way but through.

Dalrion mumbles softly, "man.. i could use a grom to hide behind right about now.." but there was no more time to think as the pods made landfall. The doors fell open and out of the pod charged Dal, eyes darting around for targets. there were a LOT of targets. but as he was not prepared for close combat and others seemed to be, he unloaded a flurry of shots into one of the troopers in the back with his rifle raised. well.. AT the trooper would be better. only one hit.

Striding from his pod, disruptor in one fist and blade in the other, The Boar-Wolf of Ealor is upon the field. Moving through the smoke, with Gripper ejecting from her port to go skyward and begin her sensor sweeps. "Te'Verde kar'taylir val nu'liser shukalar buruk, a'par buruk'ika val'liser mav'ashie teh chaab" Still speaking to himself within his helmet, the increase of his pulse setting off mnemonic triggers.

Serotonin, dopamine, endorphins... all of those wonderful natural chemicals that encourage your behavior, mixed with his adrenal glands dumping and sending it all rocketing through his body. The next breath taking nigh euphoric, a shudder in his chest rushing out on it.

His right hand raises and Hadrix's pistol fires in a particular shrieking gasp, a vacuum trail opening up in the wake of the shot as molecules are shredded to component atoms. The intended target leaping to one side, rolling out of the way and a fair sized hunk of stonework is a smokeless crater behind.

Her avoidance is momentary, the Massive Mandalorian closing the distance and bringing their blade across a broad cut that opens a rent in their armor that becomes a temporary sheath, slashing their heart and leaving the poor sot to crumble in his wake.

"Val payt'oyayc mar'eyir vercopaanir o'r'val ijaat'kyr'am. Val'tion'ad partaylir rejorhaa'ir Be'val'mandokar, be'tion'tuur te'ca?nara olaror; val'epan ba'dinuir'an."

Boots to the ground, Xavier shakes off the remnants of his entry with a final roll of his shoulder and a crack of his neck. "Well. No sense in keeping them waiting," he ponders strictly to himself, punctuating it with the snaphiss of his saber igniting as he crests the pile of dirt surrounding his pod. Red light illuminates him from the right side as the energy blade extends outwards in a fine 'How do you do'.

Commander asked for loud. Orders were to lure the brass out. A red saber streaking across the battlefield in front of Morellian marines will contribute to that nicely. Anger rises the closer to the First Order he gets. Memories of pain, torment, and despair haunt this planet and he has carried those ghosts with him for a century. Now he unleashes them in precise swings of his blade, cutting through the first two he meets in battle.

The third was smart enough to back peddle from his range. For now.

CHON KOHNNER, aka Comrade Dogface, aka Pup The Space Ronin, Aka The War Dog...

The collection of names and titles was growing ever more as the career of the trader and bounty hunter continued to grow through out the Galaxy. One constant remained the same, he didn't care. There was a singular focus, and that was the battle at hand.

After coming down in the drop pods, he launched himself into the fray, descending upon a fire team and leaping from a perched position onto the enemy. His Z6 Riot Baton crackled to life, erupting from his tattered and torn off color hooded cloak which fluttered in the air of his rapid agile canine movements.

The Baton bashed down, caving in at least the helmet of one trooper, causing their body to crumple to the ground motionless, before he spun and send another flying across the field with a stalwart jab. He attempted a third strike on another trooper, catching only air. A low growl emitted from his VOID armor's helmet.

The fighting begins immediately, slug throwers going off at quite the volume as snipers pick off stormtroopers with kinetic ammo. The fight is not one sided, but given the smoke and uncertainty of numbers, the Stormtroopers have fallen back out of caution, a trait of an indecisive officer. Kinetic rounds shatter plastoid armor with each impact, maiming or killing the wearer instantly in true Morellian brutality.

Sana Ryder has waded into the depths of the fighting, swinging her blades like a wild woman and beheading one trooper when they passed her by. <"AHHHH!"> She screams, pivoting in place to attack another.

Bossk, who hangs back with Dalrion, is seen opening the breech of his rifle to feed a corrosive cannister inside and snap it shut. The hissing, 8ft tall Trandoshan chicken wings the buttstock of his weapon and fires the cannister with a cackle for the screams it yields after.

THUUUUUUMP!

The corrosive grenade hits the center column of a trooper unit, showering them in acid-like splash. Plastoid holds up well to the material, but their bodysuits do not, and many begin to realize something is wrong when it burns through to find flesh. Troopers scream in agony, falling from their ranks. Many had the sense of mind to draw out first aid kits to dump powder, but there.. was not enough powder to contend with the acid.

Bossk ejects the spent cannister from the breech, and feeds another into place before stalking into the smoke. "The SSSSScorekeeper wantsssss numbersss, yesss?!"

The Sergeants order the troopers to engage, and finally the discipline of the First Order shows through as laser bolts fire back at the Marines and War Party.

Amal understood pain. She had been born to it, learned to call it a friend and never a foe. To fight with it in her hand, and not to run from it ANd so, when she felt the blaster bolt hit her arm like a hammer blow, felt the flash of pain, smelled the scent of her own flesh cooking, she simply did as she had been taught to do. She switched from favoring her right hand and arm to favoring her left. Pain...was a wonderful motivator, as she continued her drive through the troopers, managing one, while the other was lsot to her in the smoke and easily evaded her blade.

Dalrion grumbles to himself as he drops to a knee, adjusting the sight on his gun. "i swear i fixed this before.." up he pops again, legs pumping and sending him charging forward. "no one should use a Damn for a bargaining chip! lets send this lot packing back to whatever hole they crawled out of!" He looked around, watching the destruction wrought by the others. "I swear that whip.. just.. i almost feel bad for them! HAH! well done!" he spied a small gun emplacement up by the damn, and fired of a trio of shots , dropping one of the troopers manning it.

<<"Targeting suspected officers.">> old training kicking in, watching body language, brackets forming and being sent to everyone whether they have HUDs to utilize or not. <<"Ryder, spearhead with me. Bossk, watch where you put that acid.">> still stalking forward, a brisk walk just shy of a march, <<"Dalrion, my left flank.">> blinking commands and chin tabbing others to show the movement and firing lines he's suggesting.

His right arm swings, almost lazily, towards one of those he's marking as field command and he squeezes.

The second target he encounters is cut down, two strikes similar to before - a cut across the chest but then a thrust through the neck that sends them gurgling to the ground.

The target of his shot ceases to be. The squalling shriek of the disruptor blast ends with a high pitched gasp of vacuum filling in where the Stormtrooper shot simply disappears. No armor, no weapon, flesh or bone. Simply gone with disbursing particles in their place.

It's a flurry of red, angry light cutting through one trooper then another then another. Three in total since running from the pod and into the fray. The enemy is doing a fine job avoiding the swings of the lightsaber. Instincts to not be bisected is always a strong one. A low growl makes it past Xavier's clenched teeth as he glares around. "You do not belong here. Leave or die." Not like they have a choice, of course. Orders and whatnot. But hey. He tried.

He glances up at the dam in its entirety and sighs. It's only just the start.

Despite his miss, Chon trudged forwards, his booted foot falls heavy against the ground. A low primal growl escaped him. The trooped fired. The bolt went wide and Kohnner didn't even flinch.

The Klatooinian launched said trooper back into the First Order line proper before descending upon two more of his ilk, cracking arms and legs as they were raised in futile defense of the powerful, energy hungry baton.

Sana is seen surrounded by troopers having the time of her life trying to hit them with her blades. To the troopers' credit, they do not back down from fighting her, and they even use their own batons to block her beskads. It's a /good/ fight!

Bossk aims at one of the towers, casually firing an explosive that consumes the entire tower's top. The poor sap stuck on lookout is consumed by the flames, prompted to tumble over its edge and plummet down the 300 ft fall to the river below. His scream was lost to the noise of war though.

Morellian forces and the War Party make it to the entrance of the dam, revealing that just beyond their gates, a pair of Light Tanks were gearing up to reinforce the entrance where one of the troopers manning the defensive turret just got shot out of it! The First Order defense here was light, they had not expected an attack, so falling back on contingencies was their best tactic.

The patrol that had sallied forth to engage the war party were gone now, leaving only what was garrisoned there to defend the dam, not much at all! The First Order does not retreat, though, they hold out. Firing back.

Perhaps not her best idea, but the main point of pain was clear. Not the troopers scrambling for cover, but the ones already on the tanks preparing to fire on the incoming morellians and mercenaries. Amal made a beeline for the rank, ignoring caution, which resulted in her being almost pushed back off of her feet as a blaster bolt hit her in the chest, burning away the cloth of her bodysuit which was all she was wearing. She did not fall, though, and she pushed ahead, taking advantage of the steps the tanks offered by dint of their design to climb up onto one of the tanks, whip slashing at one of the gunners manning the anti-personnel turret, using the force of the blow to push the trooper now streaming blood off of the back of the tank.

Dalrion is stopped in his tracks as a blaster bolt ripped into his chest armor. the force knocked him back, staggering the man and some of the heat and energy bleeding through to burn him. he looked over to hadrix and moved to follow orders when the tanks rolled into view. his eyes went wide and he looked from the tank to his blaster and snorted. well wasnt shit he could do about them.. but the troopers on top.. a volley of blaster bolts later on one of the troops was slumping down over the gun as Dal kept running. "Dont get shot dont get shot!!!"

<<"Hadrix.">> Gripper chimes in.

<<"What?">> A momentary flick of his visor upwards, despite being unable to see Gripper. Barely registering blaster bolts deflecting off of his armor, dull edge of his blade rested across his shoulders - readied despite other appearances. Pistol leveled and scanning for targets until a target marker appears on his HUD, <<"Ah.">>

Targeting whip on Hadrix's helmet swinging down, he turns into a half crouch - red lights spiraling on the warhead rising from the top his jetpack and launches in a roar of solid fuel combustion. Spiraling out to the slam into weaker side armor on the target, punching through.

<<"One armor unit down.">> the tank swells in places before its ion engine goes up, turning it into a blossom of fire.

Inside is not much better than the outside. Here there be tanks. Xavier's shoulders sag heavily with a huff: "Of course." Give him a few minutes and he could probably chop a few important pieces off of the tank. If he knew what those important pieces were. However, he doesn't have that kind of time and his knowledge of unaliving several species is far more advanced. Beside, with the tagteam of Amal and Hadrix, it seems that the immediate, tanky threat is neutralized.

So Xavier opts to do what Xavier does best: become a sentient weapon. Indiscriminate energy cuts through armour and flesh without so much as an argument, felling two more foes with the bright embers of flame still burning into their plates. A roation of his wrist conjures the blade to hum and he continues to push forward: cutting a path where he needs to.

Kohnner spares a glance towards the Tanks as they attempt to form up in a defensive line against the incoming infantry wave he was a part of. Having such a diverse force meant that small unit tactics and hardware could be used to counter such weapons. That's what was done. First the gunners were taken out... and then the majority of the tanks with an anti-vehicle weapon fired from Hadrix. There is a gleeful 'hur hur' chuckled from the Klatooinian.

This said as he twisted the baton around and cracked a charging trooper across the field like a kid swinging a bat at a ball during a sports match. You could almost hear the crowd cheer.

While that guy might have lived, the other one who attempted to accost the War Dog was not so lucky. Kohnner cracked his neck, sending his head arching in an angle that was all sort of wrong. They dropped limp right there in front of him.

One tank goes up in spectacular fashion, the rocket coming down upon it from the sky causing flames to bloom from beneath before its energy cells combusted. The kinetic concussion from the blast is substantial, sending an invisible wave of force out that disrupted the dust that had long settled on surfaces. Ears, unprotected, would be bleeding, and those that are protected, are likely ringing!

The troopers face defeat bravely and without choice. Morellian Marines have begun to fire from higher terrain in the mountains, picking off those not wearing the IFF transponders like the war party. Troopers amidst the defense would just fall suddenly after sustaining kinetic impacts that shattered their armor.

Sana kicks one trooper over the edge of the dam, then cuts down a second. <<"Understood, Commander.">> She's responding to Hadrix, and he finds he's not alone as she joins him at his position, eager to engage more hostiles.

Bossk has made it inside, ejecting a spent, smoking cannister and loading in a high-explosive, dual purpose grenade. When the breech snaps close, he hoists the weapon up to sight in the second tank and notices Amal is atop it. <<"Echani... jump from the tank! The Scorekeeper longsssssssssss for that tanksss life.">> The moment Amal has vacated, the Trandoshan warrior fires a precise shot that triggers a second explosion, disabling the tank in a single shot! <<"Yessssssss! Fifty pointssss, HAAAaa haaa!">>

All that remain now are the scattered troopers on the dam, and with no tanks to rely on, the position was lost!

Amal did not enjoy pain. She had simply learned to live with it like an old friend. Death, however, that was no friend of hers. Not until it was time. And that the Trandoshan gave her fair warning was proof enough that today was not her time. Amal leapt from the tank, landing hard and needing to roll to spend her momentum, but she came up as steadily as her injuries allowed. Close enough to snap her whip at one of the troopers, the snake-like weapon sliding beneath the helmet to take the head with it.

Dalrion is firing at the troopers in a vain attempt to slow the tanks. how would they deal with TANKS. his mind was racing trying to come up with ideas when suddenly 'BOOM BOOM'. The tanks erupted in flames as hadrix and the others brought the tanks presence on the battlefield to a fiery conclusion. He stood in shock, as stunned as the troopers. Then laughter began to bubble out and pumped a fist into the air with a small jump. "FRAK OFF YOU POODOO EATERS!!"

<<"Warlord, enemy position is overrun. You can begin your main landing.">> a nod to Sana when she forms up, his slow march moving up to a jog, closing distance on the remaining troopers. Blade still across his shoulders but now Hadrix's disruptor is up again, arm swinging to one potential target, then the next.

When he fires it is wide of the mark, creating another pock mark in the duracrete with the dissolution of matter, muttering to himself within his helmet and the big man's blade is levered off of its position in a hard cross swing that is ducked by the intended target - using their blaster to aid deflection.

<"Kriff."> the return stroke, less than fatal, but enough to draw blood when the mono-edged blade slices through plastoid and kinetic weave undersuit.

What remains of the fortifications are either exploded, dead, or routing. There is a bite inside Xavier that demands he give chase and cut every single one of them down. Make them pay for the transgressions from one hundred years ago. Have their blood answer the cries of the millions felled or enslaved. The saber held tight enough to whiten his knuckles, Xavier gives pause while wrapped up in murderous intent.

They're calling his name. Reaching out. Pleading for him to save them. No, they're dead. Now they want revenge. Is it revenge? It has to be. Forgiveness doesn't burn like this.

Ultimately, he doesn't give chase. Let them run deeper into their nests. He will catch up soon enough. Though his stall isn't completely with mercy. His left hand snaps out to the side, bending the Force to his will to shove a First Order trooper from the heights of the dam. Their fading scream as they plummet will have to suffice.

Kohnner puts his baton on his shoulder after thwacking one last straggler trooper across the head and onto the ground some distance away from him. He stops and watches their side swarm the enemy position. He can hear the screams and cried of those dying from the overrun position. There was a type of soothing solace in the defeat of your enemy and the cries of men bested in both strength and intelligence.

He glanced to Xavier, then turned his head to Amal. Then, bringing his Baton down he continued forwards. There was still more to be done