[IC] A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

[Zarkun]

Tamari Ordo

My hand comes down on Jude's shoulder and grips it; hard. "While you are in our care, you WILL treat her well, or I will put my bes'kad through your heart myself. The only reason I do not uphold Manda'lor's alliance with HJ at this moment is because of the emotion that drives it and the glory to be found in my people thinking they do this at Manda'lor's behest without interference from her love interest. If you do ANYTHING to endanger that, well," I release my grip as I turn to head back towards the hotel, "your father will be the least of your concerns." I stop and look at the girl. "As for Manda'lor's wrath, I do not fear it as she trusts my judgement. Remember that, handmaiden." I bite off the last word with a touch of venom and continue on.

[Lord Greshh]

Korre

I lower my head, defeated. I offer little resistance as Jude takes me towards the transport speeder where Hayden and Cosen are already waiting. I could feel the baby becoming restless, and I feared the outburst that might follow if smithing a continue as they have been.

END OF SCENE

[Lord Greshh]

Jorg Sucal

I sit in the bedchamber attached to my office in Presidential Palace. My eyes are closed, and I am reaching out through the Force to sense the world around me; the world at war. I can feel the deaths occurring on both sides. Mandalorians and Republic Soldiers die every minute.

Deep down inside me, I can feel Darth Traya’s presence. Her spirit fuels my power and allows me to feel the Force. She does not control my actions though. In fact... she refuses to speak to me anymore, no matter how hard I try to draw her out. She has not yet abandoned me fully, and I will prove myself worthy again soon.

A familiar ping in the Force touches my senses. The last time I felt it, it was far away, but now it feels so close I can almost touch it.

“Jude.” I whisper. “You have returned to me at last.”

END OF SCENE

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

As expected, HJ's passphrases and codes got us onto the planet with no issue and all Mandalorian units were informed of what we looked like so as to avoid getting us shot, but even though my tracker had lead us to where Jude had left Xan's ship, he and Hayden had already abandoned it by that point. We had gone east from there, positive the pair would do everything they could to avoid the Mandalorians due to Ava's and HJ's relationship, except I knew enough about the clans to know most of them wouldn't approve of it.

"They'd have likely gone down a few levels where the fighting isn't as thick. Less chance of being spotted and less chance of Korre getting caught by an artillery blast." I jetpacked down a level while Becca took the lift, my twin blasters searching for signs of trouble. "Plus the street gangs would be a lot easier to scare off right now."

[Lord Greshh]

Becca Twilight

“From what I hear, a lot of the gangs are joining up with the Mandalorians.” As we walk through the streets, I try to reach out and sense Hayden in the Force, but she is hiding herself well. She knows people are looking for her, and that makes her twice as hard to find.

Xanthippe Naberrie

I am likewise trying to sense Korre, but it is impossible. “This would have been easier if Zar’kun hadn’t cast that shielding technique on her. At least my necklace only shielded her from enemies.”

Becca Twilight

“If you can’t sense her than neither can Sucal. That that as a good sign.”

Xanthippe Naberrie

“It’s not the elder Sucal I’m worried about.”

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

"Hayden won't let Jude do anything to her. She might not be with her family, but her parents instilled some damn good morals." Reaching the end of the lift's ride, I land while waiting on them to step out. "And if the gangs are joining the Mandalorians...Wait, what about the Revolution? If Salazar's kids were in Mandalorian custody, Ava might have had them go out and recruit what was left of the Revolution to their cause. That might be why the gangs are joining them."

[Lord Greshh]

Becca Twilight

“If that is the case, I’m not sure if I should be happy or worried. I never expected the people of Coruscant to side with the invaders. They must be really tired of Sucal. But... what happens when this is all over? Are the Mandalorians just going to send the gangs back into the undercity or are we going to have to deal with gang wars on the surface levels?”

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

"The gangs will sort themselves out I think. My concern is our Mandalorian allies. Ava would have said some...not so kosher things to make them willing to assault Coruscant outside of a good battle. What, I don't know, but..." I shake my head. "We may find ourselves negotiating with them again at the end of this."

[Lord Greshh]

Xanthippe Naberrie

“This was a risky arrangement to begin with. Mandalorians only care about their own interests. As soon as our goals no longer align, they will turn against us.”

Becca Twilight

“They are loyal to Ava, so as long as she is on our side, they will be too. Maybe we can even help her come up with a good alternative for her people. Maybe one of Coruscant’s moons? Or maybe we could convince whomever the next Chancellor is to compensate them for their efforts.”

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

"We just have to hope that whoever Alderaan sends knows how to kick entrenched Mandalorians out of their hidey holes." I look around as we walk, checking each alley way as we go. "Speaking of them, I'm surprised their 'saviors' haven't show up yet."

[Lord Greshh]

Becca Twilight

"The Mandalorians haven't won yet. If the Queen of Alderaan sends her forces too soon, they might inadvertently sabotage their efforts and allow Sucal to gain the upper hand. And if the help the Mandalorians, it would let their plan slip and the whole 'savior' routine will be lost."

Xanthippe Naberrie

"So, that's how you plan to save the Republic? By lying to them? And I thought I was a schemer. While we're at it, you might as well have me call young Queen Myrcella and have her send the Royal Naboo Security Force. I bet the volunteers would be more than convincing fighting an army of trained warriors."

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

I lock Xan under a glare. "Remember that you did your part to help create this mess, senator. Perhaps if you hadn't been letting your thirst get the better of you, Sucal wouldn't have such a fine place to hole up in." I shake my head. "In any case, it doesn't matter, the Naboo Security Force would get slaughtered by the Basilisks in orbit still, if not by the war ships."

I stop and glance down an alley way before waving the group that way, the sound of fighting echoing down it. "Sounds small scale, we can maybe catch a straggler, ask 'em questions."

[Lord Greshh]

Becca Twilight

I remove my lightsaber from my belt, but I don't activate it. I hunch low, sulking down the ally stealthily. I don't know who these fighters could be, but I had a feeling they wouldn't be friendly in interlopers.

Xanthippe Naberrie

I follow behind the two, purple smoke swirling around my hands. If a fight broke out, my first move would be to cast a cloud of smoke to obscure our location, making it harder for our enemies to see us.

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

Keeping my pistols at the ready, I lead the end to the end of the alley and lean out. To my surprise, the combatants aren't the Mandalorians and the Republic, but the Revolution and the Republic. "Well that complicates this."

[Lord Greshh]

Becca Twilight

"Indeed. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I hope the Revolution wins." I have the urge to jump in and help, but I am reluctant to get in the way and possibly confuse potential allies. Besides, they might not view our intervention as aid. I decide to hang back and follow Jerus' lead.

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

Looking between the two groups, I wave Becca to the right along the balcony we're on as I go left and signal Xan to stay put. {OK, once you're in place Becca, I'm going to drop that squad leader. Move in to assist when you can.}

[Lord Greshh]

Becca Twilight

I love to the place Jerus indicted, looking down at the two sides battling. I was impressed by how well the Revolution were doing considering most of their ranks were made up of regular, untrained civilians. Most of them didn't even wear armor. Strangely though, their weapons seem to be top quality. They aren't the cheap weapons one might find off the black market. Some of them are using stolen Republic issue blasters, while others carry slightly more alien design rifles. If I had to guess, I would say those were of Mandalorian design.

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

I take up my position on the left and then crouch, taking careful aim on the squad leader with my left pistol and one of the troopers who wasn't watching his flank with my right. {On three.} The exchange continues and one of the Revolution is dropped by a bolt to the chest. {One.} Another goes down from a flurry of shots to his torso. {Two.} One of the troopers eats a bolt to the head and drops. {Three.} My blaster pistols ring out in unison, dropping the squad leader and his fellow as the bolts connect with their heads. I was already jetting around to their flanks, keeping the troopers on the move with a flurry of blaster fire and a single burst of rockets.

[Lord Greshh]

Becca Twilight

i activate my golden lightsaber and leap down into the fray. The troopers barely have time to turn their weapons on me before I am among them, cutting them down left and right.

Xanthippe Naberrie

With a crack, the ally erupts into purple mist. Only someone attuned to the Force could see through this thick cloud, allowing Becca and Jerus to continue their attack while preventing the troopers (or the Revolution) from escaping.

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

Three more shots put down three more troopers and between my bolts and Becca's saber, the fight was over in moments, not a single trooper left alive. I land in the smoke next to her and watch as the Revolution keeps trying to spot us. "I think you should probably lead the way out of here, might respond better to you than a hulking armored form."