Sins Of The Past

The Rampant Dragon
Inazawa Prefecture
Kyataru

The chaotic smells of smoke and hard liquor combined with the emotions of ecstasy and agony. Cheers from various sections of the club overpowered any sorrow and depression from the few people who found compassion awaiting them in a bottle. One table out of the entire club stood out like a sore thumb. Not by the amount of noise created or by the overwhelming sense of despair that radiated from it. Strangers always gave off that aura of uneasiness wherever they were on Kyataru.

Both strangers sitting at the club were use to this awkward feeling for different reasons yet they did not show concern for it. They had business to attend to and as one enjoyed the beverages created on Kyataru, the other stared at their associate under a drawn hood intently.

“I don’t understand why you insisted this meeting be in a public area.”

A curvaceous glass lifted delicately off the intricately designed table before disappearing under another hood, a portion of its content disappearing as it lowered back down.

“Because sometimes sneaking around is best done out where all can see you. If the past has taught me anything, blending in with the crowd can be very beneficial.”

“But we’re not blending in. The people here are singling us out instantly.”

“Regardless…”

The glass lifted once more and was slowly depleted of its contents before the figure continued speaking.

“No one will create an issue with us and we will not either, correct Master?”

As the words left the lips of the figure drinking, they slowly brought their hood down and revealed the visage of a stunningly beautiful woman. Her face radiated with a down-to-earth feel though any use of makeup would have made her one of the most beautiful women around. However, she had nothing setting herself from the crowd aside from the fact that she was not a local. The remaining hooded figure chuckled and decided not to follow their apprentice’s lead.

“If you’ve led your target here, it’ll bring unnecessary attention to our already outstanding presence.”

The young woman smiled softly before finishing her drink.

“No, Master. I have information for you in regards to said target. Also, we will have some help in case the mission gets too overwhelming.”

“Is that so?”

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Misahide Castle
Kane’ohe Region
Kyataru

Two beautiful women stood face to face with one another, each holding a lightsaber with radiant blades working to overpower the intensity of the sun. A light blue blade gently brushed against the emerald one across for it, allowing sparks to dance between the two weapons. Eliria peered into the eyes of her fellow student, Maria, showing her focus and determination as she received the same look in return.

Allowing a moment to pass them by, the raven-haired woman twirled her teal blade around her opponent’s viridian beam, aiming for Maria’s collar. The scarlet-haired beauty wasted no time in deflecting her fellow student’s strike and turning it back upon her. Krishnaya positioned her body away from the counter strike, lunging forward at the younger woman’s chest.

Rinslet waved her saber in a wide vertical arc, knocking the strike off to the side before swinging her left fist hard into the fallen Jedi’s jaw. Eliria staggered back a moment before turning her attention to the Huntress, throwing her saber aside and tackling her to the ground. Both sabers instantly silenced themselves as the two women began to grapple and pull at anything they could from the other.

Shikyo stood up from his bench and grabbed each female by the back of their collars, pulling them away from each other. There was hate developing for the other as they continued to train under the Herald, vying for his attention to the best of their abilities. The Elder fought to restrain the Journeymen as best as he could, closing his eyes before allowing the Force to assist him in separating them.

A burst of unseen energy knocked them away from their master, ending the string of obscenities each swore at the other. Turning to look at the Keibatsu, the two women wore an expression of a puppy caught doing something terrible and feeling guilt over their actions. Sasuke looked at the two of them with a stern yet gentle look as any master would at promising students who neglected discipline.

“If you want my devotion, you already have it. Acting like children does not help either of you in capturing my attention.”

The Dark Side Adept made his way back into the castle with a solemn look upon his face. Making his way to the bedroom, Shikyo began to turn his thoughts on something that seemed to poke at the back of his mind. There was something very familiar yet very disturbing somewhere on the horizon. The Force told him that something dangerous approached soon and it would bring untold damage. Working to wipe the thought from his mind, the Keibatsu began to remove his training garb and prepared for dinner.

Later that night…

Explosions and war cries were the first sounds to alert Eliria and Maria from their slumber, causing them to search their room in panic for clothes and weapons. Heavy footsteps already echoed throughout the castle halls as soldiers made their way to defend the castle. As the women finally found their respective robes and lightsabers, they heard the familiar sound of two banshees howl to the moon hanging high above Kyataru.

Throwing the door open wide, Maria was the first to catch a glimpse of the cross-shape scarred back of her master run down the hall, scarlet and silver blades illuminating the area. Eliria shouldered past her fellow student and rushed to follow behind her master. The Jedi Huntress wasted no time in catching up with the two Dark Jedi, snapping her emerald blade to life.

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5th Legion barracks
Kane’ohe Region
Kyataru

Shikyo wore an expression of frozen ferocity ever since the conflict erupted just outside his doors. He understood that the Suudou Bodai held many of the islands of Kane’ohe but they knew better than to move on Misahide, especially after their first failed attempt. Now, they had crossed a line of no return and the Herald would waste no time in making them pay for crossing it.

Standing in the communications array, Sasuke continued to twirl his lightsabers in hand as the Nihilgenia sitting before him worked to establish a connection to the Dokugan-Ryu. The soldier turned his armored head towards his commander, nodding towards the device.

“Sir, their console may be down or the Dragon may be asleep. I cannot be certain.”

The Herald turned towards his subordinate and responded back in as cold a voice as his emotions could allow.

“If the Dragon sleeps, wake him. If the Dragon beds a woman, interrupt him. His fury will be put to excellent use tonight.”

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OOC: Below is the map of the terrain. Troop numbers and updates will be posted in the email chain.

http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu3/Shi...tsu/SinsMap.jpg

Quarters of the Dragon
Kuroshin Castle
Kyataru

"My lord?"

The guard hesitated, fist raised to knock on the bamboo frame of the door. He was always nervous when attempting to gain the attention of the Dragon; the one-eyed scion of the Keibatsu was notoriously grouchy first thing in the morning. Clearing his throat loudly, the guard swallowed and then brought his shaking knuckles against the doorframe twice in quick succession.

"My lord Keibatsu? Your presence is required in the communications centre!"

With frightening suddenness, the door slid open and the guard fell backwards at the movement. Manji Keibatsu Sadow stood over him, wild-eyed, his hair tangled and matted, and... the guard kept his eyes fixated on the single gleaming orb of the Keibatsu, certain that he did not want to look down.

Glaring at the man, Manji cleared his own throat.

"This had better be damn important. You see that lady in there? You see her?"

The guard leaned to one side, following Manji's impatient gesture, to see a beautiful red-skinned Lethan Twi'lek, wearing very little in the way of clothing, reclining on the futon. He swallowed as she waved daintily at him, and Manji's voice lowered into a growling hiss.

"She was my guest for the evening. You just interrupted the afterparty."

Suddenly he grabbed the guard by the collar and yanked him upwards.

"What the frack do you want?"

"Uh... my lord... your honoured brother, the lord Sasuke, wishes to speak with you about the Suukou Bodai. There has been an attack on Misahide, and-"

He was unable to finish as Manji dropped him unceremoniously and stormed back into the room, moving quickly and precisely. A jet-black kimono was pulled on and belted shut; his twin lightsabers, resting on a stand in an alcove on one side of the room, were thrust through the belt. The Twi'lek pouted at Manji as he turned back to her and spread his arms wide, smiling disarmingly.

"Duty calls, tchun-tchin. I'll be back to finish you off later, okay?"

As the Twi'lek giggled, Manji turned away and surged out of the door, the guard falling in behind him as he strode through the wooden-floored corridors of Kuroshin. Manji's mouth kept moving as he muttered to himself, marshalling plans and solutions to the Suukou Bodai problem even as he grumbled about the early hour. The guard caught one sentence as he struggled to keep up, his ceremonial armour unsuited to a footrace.

"Those hutt-karking terrorists just made this personal."

Operations Center - 5th Nihilgenia Headquarters
Kane'ohe Region
Kyataru

Shikyo and Katsuhide looked over the islands that made up the Kane'ohe Archipelago. The information received in regards to the islands, fortifications, and military assets laid out before the two men as they pondered what resources would be vital to victory. Remembering the devastation from before, the Wolf of Kyataru fought hard to keep the memories of the fallen deep within the furthest reaches of his psyche.

As the hologram of the terrain began to fade back into the massive table that displayed it, Katsuhide brought his emotionless eyes upon those of his commander.

"We're going to need something to give us an advantage over the zealots, Excellency. They have gotten much more coordinate in years past and have gained more ground than we imagined."

Playing the scenarios over in his mind, the Krath closed his eyes and allowed the Force to flow through him. Images of his family flashed before his mind, followed individuals he had come to trust. Ekeia Iclo, Dyrra Skye. His former apprentice and his elder brother's apprentice. They had proven their worth time and time again. A red-orange glow flashed through his mind as the saber of his cousin, Tsainetomo, cut through Suudou Bodai ranks with incredible ease. The Dokugan-Ryu's howl for vengeance echoed throughout his mind followed by the twin sabers of his current apprentices. As the Force began to escape his vision, a wave of silky, blue hair danced in mid-air before bringing the Herald back to reality.

"Excellency?"

The Elder looked at the Nihilgenia and nodded to show that he was with his ally. Turning towards the exit, Shikyo moved with a pace reserved for those with an agenda in mind. Making their way towards a "borrowed" LAAT, the Krath spoke loudly over the hum of the craft's engines.

"Call up Sai and see if he can take a break from activities in Sepros to assist his family. Tell him to bring Ekeia and Dyrra with him. Also, see what you can do about bringing our old allies back to the battlefield. I am certain there will be some who will be eager to regain their honor."

"Yes, Excellency."

"Lastly, get in touch with Commodore Blackwind. Ask him if the Masarao is ready for christening."

The Nihilgenia cocked his eyebrow.

"At once but with permission, where are you going?"

"Out for a drink."

Inside a small house on the outskirts near Kuroshin, a lone figure sat drinking quietly at his table.

Mitsuhide looked up from his glass as he cleared his throat. Smiling sadly, he rose from the table and proceded to his bedchamber. Sliding open the paper doors to his closet, the once faithful swordsman gazed at the armour that marked his station.

A tinge of sadness fills his features as he remembered the loss of his charge, the sister of Lord Keibatsu. With grim resolve, he began to dress.

Before he left his home and headed for Kuroshin, he spoke softly to the walls, "Time to face the Lords. I will not do so looking like a beggar."

He moved with the air of someone who had lost everything, but still managed to walk tall. He sighed as he approached the main gates of the castle.

He looked at the guards, "Inform the Dragon that the Akechi patriarch seeks an audience. Your well-being may just hang on your speed."

With that done, he donned the helmet worn by his ancestors for six generations and awaited either his welcome or his judgement.

He made a quick check to insure that everything was proper. His weapons all rested within easy reach with the only exception being the sword of his father. This was held loosely within the held sheath and awaited presentation before his Lord.

The face of the lone survivor on the Akechi was etched with pain as he remembered the last time he walked inside these walls. He remembered the failure that he awaited judgement for when he fought to defend
little Mihoshi and the years of torment that followed.

With noticable effort, Mitsuhide pushed these memories aside. He needed to focus on the task at hand.

Dlarit Corporation Shuttle Designate 1L-19
Wild Space
En Route to Kyataru

Hurtling along at superluminal speed, the non-descript craft made its way towards the backwater world at the terminus of the navicomp’s plan. Within, the three Darksiders chose to use the time to reflect, meditate, and make small talk, as the lilting strains of female voices went back and forth. After all, the cramped quarters would permit very little else.

Tsainetomo, ever the Obedient Son, had heeded Katsuhide’s passed-along message and snatched up Dyrra and Ekeia, the pair getting as much explanation as he himself had, and like he, they had come along with little to no resistance to answer the Herald’s call.

The Korun-Keibatsu rode ‘shotgun’ in silence, choosing to assist their pilot, who’d been conscripted along with the craft itself from the expansive coffers of Dlarit. It had been an easy matter, with Sai drafting a mock requisition under his Governor-General’s credentials ostensibly for a ‘survey mission’.

Sai’s features creased as a grin curled the ends of his mouth; ironic, he surmised, as it may very well have turned into a mission of that sort. Instead of raw material or mining prospects, the Sadowan Quaestor intended to call himself to a full accounting. It started when he heard the clipped and heavily accented voice of the aforementioned Nihilgenian, and from that moment to this, he would have to shed the layers that service to the Brotherhood demanded one take on.

They approached Kyataru inexorably, and with every passing hour Sai began to shelve his role as Quaestor, his ‘ranking’ as an Exarch, his station as a Combat Center judge, his regard as a revered Son of Sadow.

Before long, there would only be Tsainetomo Keibatsu, prodigal heir to Meishu’s legacy. Anything more, or less, would only get him, and those who would follow him, killed.

The Dark Side vibrated in anticipatory delight as the machine that was Sai’s mind began to calculate and churn, the infinitesimal gears and cogs that made it up fitting into place. By the end of his trip, the Keibatsu would all be forced to face themselves in the mirror…

…and he wondered if they’d be as satisfied with their reflections as he was with his.

Dlarit Corporation Shuttle Designate 1L-19
Misahide Castle
Kyataru

Ekeia stood up from her kneeling position on the floor of the shuttle, her knees slightly popping from being in the same position for hours. Keia moved to stand next to Dyrra and Tsainetomo as the shuttle descended onto the landing platform and wasted no time walking out the second the shuttle’s door opened. Waiting for the three dark jedi outside was Katsuhide, whom according to Sai was the man who had contacted them on behalf of the Herald.

As the Queastor stepped up to confront the Nihilgenian, Ekeia looked around at her surroundings. Having been Shikyo’s apprentice, she knew that they had landed at Misahide Castle. Despite her apprenticeship to the Herald, though, she was only vaguely familiar with the location having only spent brief, sporadic moments throughout her training on the planet. Now that she was back on Kyataru for a purpose she spent more effort in memorizing what she observed. Keia allowed her mind to go on autopilot as she followed the group, allowing her to take in important details of what she was seeing and hearing while beginning to reflect on herself like she so often did lately.

It had been several years since she had been knighted. In that time, Keia had gone on to assume multiple positions from working for the Herald and the Deputy Grand Master as well as being a professor at the Shadow Academy. These positions had kept her away from House Naga Sadow’s affairs for quite a while and had made her begin to question if she was as loyal to the house as she should be. These thoughts then led her to wonder what she was still doing in the house and she was beginning to debate taking a break from the house to study and work as a sort of freelancer in the Brotherhood. She had yet to make up her mind on what she would end up doing, but she hoped that having been summoned by the Herald alongside her Quaestor and fellow housemate would begin to answer some questions.

The Luscious Twi'lek
Markosian City
Tarthos

It had been far too long since Shikyo had stepped foot on Tarthos. The planet was much like a child who had grown into a teenager. Remnants of old could still be seen but for the most part, had changed. As he watched businessmen and well-dressed military personnel enjoy the company of various females and drink, he noted the expressions of his two apprentices as they scanned the room.

Eliria looked at the patrons with immense disgust, while Maria looked more like a scout, gathering her belongs about things. Shikyo just chuckled to himself as he listened to the band start up its next song and took a sip of his drink. Looking at the stage, the Herald found what he was looking for: a Zeltron female with shimmering blue hair opening her mouth and allowing a sweet melody flow through the air of the gentleman's club.

As he watched, he felt his way through the Force, determining dark jedi from corporation assets and as he got to the singer, he noticed the slightest of shivers as she felt his presence. The moment her performance ended, he summoned the club owner for an introduction. Eliria looked upon her master with shock and disdain.

"We left the battlefield so that you could have fun?"

Grinning slyly at the young woman, Shikyo brushed his fingertips through her hair.

"The Force guides all. I’m more than certain we’ll find what we’re looking for here.”

His apprentice looked confused and somewhat torn. She had seen the promiscuous ways of her master before and was convinced this was nothing more than a usual call to a different girl. As the owner talked with her master once more, Eliria couldn’t help but feel a slight sting as she contemplated the recent string of females entering Shikyo’s life. More and more, she felt less important and wondered just how far she had fallen from his view. Before she could think on it anymore, the Zeltron had appeared before her master.

“You wanted to see me, Your Excellency?”

The girl instantly picked up on the identity of the Keibatsu, bring astonishment to the apprentices and a grin to the Herald.

“You are Masika, yes? A Journeyman of Naga Sadow. I have a favor to ask of you.”

The Zeltron grinned.

“Your Excellency, I am not a call girl for any dark jedi and for any kind of price. And I certainly don’t think you need my assistance in any way that you can’t handle already.”

“The Force shows us its will and it is on us to do as it commands, whether for our benefit now or later. I’d rather see how it all plays out.”

“A vision, huh? And how do I know this isn’t an elaborate set up for something more personal and intimate, hmmm?”

Pulling Eliria close to him and kissing the young woman passionately, Shikyo locked his eyes on the Zeltron and watched her excitement overwhelm her. There was something dynamic about this man and the more she watched, the higher the anticipation got. As he broke his embrace, he pulled a crystal from his sleeve: a highly refined Adegan.

“A small token for your services with much more to come if you accept my request.”

Masika sauntered over towards the Herald and took the gem in her hand, going to remove it before having his hand lock around hers.

“Do we have an agreement?”

The Zeltron grinned and slowly kissed up the Kyataran’s neck before whispering in his ear.

“You sure do know a way to a girl’s heart.”

As she turned back towards the two apprentices, Masika instantly noticed the disgust written all over Eliria’s face. The Journeyman approached her and drew a hand across her cheek, giggling with excitement.

“Sweetheart, you should learn to lighten up before you lose this man of yours.”

Shikyo chuckled slightly as he nodded at the Zeltron.

“Pack whatever you belongings you have, as well as weapons and meet me at the spaceport. Dock 39. Can’t miss the transport.”

Placing his arms around the waists of his two apprentices, the Herald felt that the woman’s presence would help out in the upcoming campaign. He was not certain of the how but he almost had a feeling he understood the why.

The Fallen Spear
Tarthos Space

The man pressed down the corners of his mustache as he paced in front of the viewscreen, the Nihilgenia at the consoles ignoring his anxious steps. He paused, staring at the orb called Tarthos that hung ominously in space before them, then casting a sidelong glance at the captain's chair before straightening up. He never could be sure.

"{VASIC, has the transport cleared Tarthos Control?}" His voice rang out on the silent Bridge, the words in his native Autoch when he didn't have to speak common or the alien Kyataran for the benefit of the sorcerers.

"{They have just fired up their engines, Commodore Blackwind. I estimate that they will arrive within fifteen microts.}" The ship's voice, the synthetic intelligence spoke quickly and in perfect rendition of Lathecronian accent.

"{Excellent. Disengage countermeasures. Let them see us.}" He turned from the viewscreen abruptly, the heels of his polished boots snapping againt the floor as he stepped toward the door.

The communicator bleeped at him, and he retrieved the holocommunicator from his belt, activating it to see the purple haze of the Kyataran Holonet and the Seal of the Herald of the Brotherhood.

The man was clean shaven, a departure from the last time he had seen him. "Darius. Control told me that the Spear was here."

Blackwind bowed his head a degree before speaking. "Sire, the Lord requested my presence here. I assume that this was according to plan?"

Shikyo let a half smile creep past his lips. "Not exactly. But I had a feeling. I have a box of cigars that I picked up for you." He motioned behind him, to a shelf that the holotransmitter didn't pick up. "Is my brother on board?"

"It's...hard to say, sir." Blackwind cleared his throat. "The Lord comes and goes without notice. He's not here right now, at any rate."

The Herald nodded, before something caught his eye off-holo, distracting him. "The Spear will be mighty useful, Blackwind. I hope she's up for it. We'll be there in ten."

Blackwind converted his nod into a brief bow as the holo clicked off, the violet miasma slurping back into the device.

~Markosian City
~Tarthos

As his Excellency turned to leave the club, Masika turned in the opposite direction towards the dressing rooms in the rear of the establishment. Though she wasn't an actual employee there anymore and only came in to sing as a guest from time to time, she was still in the habit of going to her dressing room to change and get ready for her next set. However, since she was no longer technically an employee at the club, she no longer had a dressing room of her very own. As it were, she would just pop in during her free time between missions and trainings to belt out a tune or two.

She let out a slight chuckle as she whispered to herself, “Old habits die hard”.

Just as she was turning to head toward the front of the bar and head out, she noticed the reflection in a nearby mirror, as she saw three men in black suits coming towards her and carrying a blaster on each of their hips. She recognized them as the CEO of a major blaster company's hired guns that she had seduced and conned a few years back. They had finally found her. “Took them long enough” she smirked and said under her breath. She knew she couldn't fight them with the crowd in here, not without innocent people being injured or even killed. Back in the day, she wouldn't have cared one way or the other, but her ways of thinking had changed.

Since her escape through the front entrance had been blocked, Masika quickly turned on her heels and began making her way towards the back door. Using her force powers, she could hear three men outside the back door talking about the bounty on Masika's head and she decided that may not be the best way to go either. As she stood in the back hallway of the club, she remembered a window that let out on the other side of the building through the men's restroom and hurried to get to it. She could sense the three men inside were gaining on her as she slithered her way out the slender window. As she dropped down to her feet and onto the street, one of the three men outside spotted her, nudged his gruesome buddies next to him, and all three started after her.

“Come on fellas, let's get this over with, I've got a ship to catch” she said to herself as she sprinted towards them, and ignited her saber. The three men pulled out their blasters and began firing. Surprisingly, Masika was able to deflect most of their shots with her saber, the remaining shots never came anywhere near her. “Where did these poor boys learn how to shoot” she giggled to herself. They had shockingly horrific aiming skills, she figured they must be new to the goon lifestyle. As Masika grew closer to them, and they closer to her, as soon as she was in reach to do so, she leapt forward striking the man to her right with her saber and cutting him in half through his abdomen, while bringing it straight through, spinning around and slicing the goon to her left across his chest. As the third man approached her, she knelt down, grabbed a throwing star from the side pouch on her boot, and hurled it into his adam's apple.

With all three men down, she picked up their blasters as she thought “No point in letting these go to waste”, and hurried on her way. As she disignited her saber and placed it back on her belt and stashed one of the blasters into her shoulder bag, she started off towards the docks to meet up with Shikyo and the rest. As she reached the start of the boarding area she could feel the three remaining men catching up to her. As they began firing she turned and jogged backwards to return fire hitting one in the head and the other in the chest. As they fell to the grown she noticed the third one had not been hit except for a small graze in his left arm. As the two blasters she was firing ran out of ammo, she tossed them to the ground, turned around, and began running at full speed trying to find the Fallen Spear so she could jump on board and hopefully be out of his reach. As she was turning around to begin a full paced run, the man returned the favor and grazed her in her right arm. As her flesh began to burn, it was more motivation to hurry her along. Up ahead she could see the ship and decided to sprint around the side of it to try and loose him. Yet, before she could do so, she sensed his presence, and as she passed the entrance to the ship she noticed behind her, out of the corner of her eye, a crimson lightsaber emerge and behead the goon that was attempting to take her out.

Entrance Courtyard
Kuroshin Castle
Kyataru

Descending the wooden stairs that led down towards the double doors, the front gate of Kuroshin, Manji felt his eyebrow quirk up at the sight before him. A figure dressed in detailed, clearly-ceremonial armour knelt in the centre of the pale gravel-filled courtyard, obviously awaiting his arrival and oblivious to the baking midday sun overhead. Aware of the Keibatsu's status, the figure kept his eyes down, awaiting Manji's approval to rise.

Something about the crest on that helmet looks familiar...

The pieces snapped into place as Manji stepped off the stairs, his sandals crunching quietly against the gravel.

"Mitsuhide, Patriarch of the Akechi. Your presence here is... unexpected. Rise."

The formal tone didn't suit the Dragon, but it was expected of him on Kyataru. With a nod, Mitsuhide rose to his feet and fell in beside and slightly behind the Keibatsu as Manji turned back up the steps, leading the way back into the cool, wooden halls of the castle. Guards and servants bustled through the corridors, preparing everything for Tsainetomo's imminent arrival and the Dragon's imminent departure. Glancing sideways at Mitsuhide, Manji felt his features firm. He wasn't entirely sure how to deal with the other man.

"You took a great risk coming here, Mitsuhide."

His voice low and choked, the Akechi patriarch responded.

"I know, my lord Keibatsu. I seek only to make amends for my failure, and pray your judgement will not be too harsh."

For a moment, Manji was silent, a torrent of memories flooding back. In any other place, he would have reacted angrily, the wounds still raw. But here, surrounded by the calming walls of his family's castle, forgiveness- a concept that had been alien to him for all too long- seemed within reach. Clearing his throat, the Dragon spoke as they rounded a corner and ascended the stairs that led to the hangar bay.

"I believe the intervening years have been punishment enough, Akechi. If you wish to make amends... you are welcome to do so here."

Mitsuhide bowed deeply, an uncharacteristic smile creeping across his face for the first time in many years. Before them, the hydraulic doors to the hangar bay slid open to reveal the blazing thrusters of a Kyataran-styled freighter, designed only for sub-atmospheric travel, warming up. Turning back to Mitsuhide, Manji gestured to the shuttle with a smile.

"I believe we are expected at Misahide... I'm all for being fashionably late, but I think the others might cause trouble if we leave it too long."

As they disappeared up the ramp into the shuttle, the engineers continued to bustle around it, completing pre-flight preparations. Shortly afterwards, the craft lifted off smoothly, thrusters gleaming even brighter as it burst out through the open doors of the hangar bay and south towards Misahide.

Dock 39
Markosian City
Tarthos

The Elder watched the severed head roll down into a nearby gutter, laying along with other garbage that managed to find its way to that location. Turning towards the Zeltron, Shikyo noticed a brief moment where Masika was startled. It must have been his eyes again. Even he was getting use to the torrent of scarlet that moved within the slate color of his eyes. Nodding his head towards the majesty that was the Fallen Spear, the Herald’s voice stayed low yet filled with a strength that only experience could provide.

“Let’s go.”

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Landing Bay 3
Misahide Castle
Kyataru

As the Fallen Spear began to settle down on the durasteel floor below it, Shikyo hopped off along with his apprentices and the Zeltron, walking towards to forever solid stance of Katsuhide. As the Kyataran met the Nihilgenia, the two walked in unison as if they were brothers-in-arms who had served with one another since the beginning, ignoring the calls of the Commodore and the varied glances of the females behind them.

“What news do you have?”

“The ones you have asked for are here and we have an additional ally.”

“Who is it?”

“Mitsuhide Akechi. A former retainer of your family.”

“I suppose it’s better to have one know where their allegiance lies than no one who remembers who stood for them. Gather them at Headquarters and have Intel prepare the brief. Also, please take our recent acquisition under consideration.”

Katsuhide turned to look at the Autochthonian designed ship before looking back at his commander. For the first time, the Keibatsu swore he saw a grin on the cloned soldier’s face.

5th Command Headquarters
Special Operations
Kyataru

Shikyo walked in to the room with Eliria and Maria remaining on his heels, noticing the figures standing around the circular console. As he moved towards the control panel, the Elder nodded towards the Nihilgenia and Masika, watching them moved to an area opened for them. Looking into the eyes of his family and allies, a slight grin couldn’t help but find its way on the face of the Krath as he announced the plan to destroy the heretics.

“We’ve received intelligence that the Suudou Bodai are gathering for a final push into the Kane’ohe Archipelago. They’ve already acquired many of the islands and if they take Misahide, they have a strong foothold to move military operation inland to Kuroshin. Our task is to not only stop their advance but I want them eradicated and hunted down.

“We will start with the outlying islands. From there, we’ll cut off their supply lines across the archipelago and move towards the main island. We take their headquarters, we take the head from the serpent. We should have more than enough men for this operation but keep in mind that we cannot be tyrants in our actions. These are our people and allies. We treat them as such, we may see a turn in the tide.

“Please take whatever you need from the armory. The Lion has made certain that we will not falter from the task at hand, this time around. Once everyone is ready, report to the hangar bays and we’ll begin to load up the Spear and our new acquisition. Questions?”

None needed be asked. Faces of determination or bloodlust appeared on those present. Focus. This would be the key factor in determining who would survive and who’s blood would stain the ground. Nodding his head slightly to those present, Shikyo released the anticipation in his voice.

“Dismissed!”

--------------------

Location Unknown
Location Unknown
Kyataru

Darl Kohn quickened his pace across the stone slab floor, watching as native Kyatarans rushed passed him wearing armors varying from native styles to something much more recognizable. As he made his way into the throne room of the castle, the Kel Dor noticed the stone solid face of the Nautolan first before seeing his apprentice sitting on the floor, facing the throne.

He could feel an overwhelming calm in the room the moment he stepped inside, as if there was no burden to bear and no lives at stake. The power radiating from his former apprentice was more than astounding. She had been perfecting her meditation techniques to a point that was beyond words. This human would be the key to making sure victory over the dark side was guaranteed.

Placing a hand on the slender shoulder of the young woman, Darl looked gently down at the visage of the serene beauty.

“What has the Force shown you?”

A deep breath and a tranquil exhale escaped the woman’s lips before she turned her head to the Kel Dor, smile resting softly upon her lips.

“This will be trying for all of us but the Force is strong in us. As long as we remain united, I feel we will have nothing to fear from their attack.”

Kohn let out a soft exhale through his apparatus before turning his glance at the Nautolan.

“Master Quon-Shen seeks the same thing we do. Trust in his plan.”

The green Jedi nodded his head as the Kel Dor turned his attention back on the young woman.

“Let me know when the time comes, Master Koyotai.”

Smiling at her former master, the young woman turned back towards the throne and closed her eyes. Darl Kohn made his way back towards the formations of Kyatarans who sought freedom from Keibatsu tyranny. As he passed by tapestries and artifacts of this foreign race of humans, the Kel Dor noted the themes of each item passed. A pain struck his heart as he realized what the future held for them all; war in its most savage and most brutal form.

~Kyataru

Masika had not really known what she had gotten herself into. Accompanying the Herald on this type of endeavor was something she was not at all familiar with. However, it did pay a hefty reward, and she would do almost anything con-wise and / or killing wise if the price was right.

As she stood listening to the conversations around her, she sized up everyone in the room who were also along for the ride. She noticed they were all much better equipped for this than she was. Also, they seemed to have much more experience then she had on the field. She'd had some previous training from her Master Methyas, but not much as of yet. Masika thought if she was ever going to get any kind of battle experience, she'd might as well jump right in head first. Accompanying Shikyo into battle seemed to be the best way to do that at the time.

Once the proceedings halted, they announced they would be heading to the armory located on the island north of Misahide. There they would collect their weaponry from a vast and majestic collection of arms. Masika could feel herself become overwhelmingly giddy on the inside at the thought of shiny new weapons to use in the war and get bloodstained. She found it quite difficult to contain such excitement.


~Armory

As everyone gathered into the armory, Masika pulled up the rear of the crowd. With everyone in front of her, it was difficult to see all the weapons until she made it through the actual entrance. Once she stepped into the armory, she couldn't quite believe her eyes. She had done a lot of cons in her life, some with certain weapons manufacturers, but she had never seen anything as glorious as what her eyes were currently beholding.

The room was huge and magnificent. The racks and shelves were pristine and glistened under the lights that shown upon the weapons. There were beautiful killing tools as far as the eye could see, of every shape and size, and for every killing purpose that could be imagined and invented.

As soon as everyone made it into the armory, they were told to pick out the weapons of their choosing that they would like to use on the battlefield. Masika felt like a kid in a candy store. She slowly looked over the weapons as she felt like she was floating past them on a cloud. Her eyes were filled with wonderment as she attempted to take it all in.

As she kept moving forward, she came upon the section that had the more feminine weapons. The first thing she noticed was a pair of zenji needles. At once, she grasped them in her hands and immediately started wrapping her hair into an up-do and maneuvered them into her hair.

Next, she entered the area that held the smaller, more concealable weapons. Here she decided to obtain a few shuriken. As she did so, she noticed a bag sitting next to those that was filled with small hollow balls that contained gunpowder within them. She thought they might be useful for something. Therefore, she removed the bag of metsubushi from the shelving it was sitting upon and tied it to her belt.


While wandering around looking over more of the amazing weapons that were on display, Masika was absolutely mesmerized and was trying to just take it all in. A place like this she wanted to remember always and dream of it nightly. Most of the weapons she saw, she was not at all skilled in, and she wouldn't be comfortable even attempting to try to use them without any previous knowledge of them or experience with them.

She continued on her path around the armory and finally came upon the area that held the swords. So many different and beautiful swords. She again was amazed. As Masika lifted up a few to get a feel for them, nothing she held in her hands felt quite right. With so many exquisite pieces laid out in front of her, there had to be one that was perfect for her to use. Granted, she also liked the thought of using chains and whips as much as she liked using swords. As she lifted yet another sword in the massive assortment, she noticed a glistening out of the corner of her eye from an area that was not as well lit as the rest. She respectfully set the sword in her hands down and followed the glare that had caught her eye. She came upon a weapon that she knew was nothing like she had ever seen. As she admired it, Shikyo approached her.

"This was left here a long time ago. I don't have the tastes for such things so I kinda just hid it away. I guess the owner won't be returning for it any time soon. Take it." he said to Masika.

Shikyo lifted the weapon off the rack and before handing it to her, he pushed a button which was located on the hilt of the sword. As he did so, the sword began to break down and retract. After the segmented blades returned to their original positions, it became clear that the weapon had the qualities of both a sword and a chain

“I would be honored. Thank you.” she said, trying harder than ever to hold back her giddiness.

This was it, before she even laid her hands upon it, she knew this was the one. The perfect weapon for her to use. The kind of weapon that until now she could only dream about in her craziest and wildest of dreams. This snake sword had instantly become her new best friend, her combatant. As Shikyo handed it to her, instantaneously she could feel it as though it was a part of her. Yes, this was the one.

Now she was ready. Maybe not fully mentally, but she was as ready as she could be. With the weapons she now had, and the people that she had ready to fight beside her, she was feeling more confident then she was before. On top of everything, she also had the perfect weapons for her to shed some serious blood. Now, she was ready for battle, ready for war!

Armory
Kyataru

Staying towards the back, Ekeia followed the small group into the armory and watched as the various Dark Jedi dispersed throughout the armory; each headed their own way to some preferred section. She smiled slightly at the sight of the Protector, Masika, moving forward with a minute spring in her step. Keia made her own way around the armory, taking in what all was available before beginning to choose her weaponry. There were racks of varying swords on and staffs on one wall. Another held more types of guns then Keia cared existed while a different area housed grenades and thrown weapons. There were even a few weapons she could only guess as to what they would be used for or how. The majority of items in the armory though, held little interest to the Krath Archpriestess. Aside from her lightsaber, she had one favored weapon that she chose to draw more often than not.

Ekeia made her way back over to the section near the swords that cased the daggers and vibroshivs. She let her fingertips drag lightly over the hilts of the knives. Every other weapon or so she would curl her hand around the grip and lift it slightly, testing the weight and fit. Simultaneously, Keia’s green eyes stared at the finer details of each dagger. She eyed the blade length and the edge, any ornate, purely decorative detailing that tended to turn her away from a blade. Her normal dagger she wore strapped to her thigh everyday was a simple dagger with a simple hilt and a simple blade. It had a use and that use wasn’t to sit in a display case and look pretty. She had carried it for years, long before she had joined the Brotherhood and up until recently; because of such, it held certain memories, memories that had caused her to lock it up in a safe-box and never desire to reopen it. She needed a new dagger to replace that missing weight against her leg.

Ekeia refocused her attention from her slight lapse in concentration back to the weapons before her. At the end of the display she found two daggers lying side by side. One was a simple dagger, nothing blaringly special about it. It was basic and it called to her. She picked it up and placed it in her old dagger’s holster, satisfied with finally having something to fill the empty space. The second dagger was a punch-dagger. She had seen a dagger like this in action before, but she had never used one herself. Picking it up for closer inspection, Ekeia tested it out in her hand. It felt right, and coupled with her hand-to-hand styles, she felt it would prove beneficial at some point. The least she could do was take it to have just in case. She placed the punch-dagger in a pouch on her belt before walking back to the main area of the armory. On her way back, she stopped briefly and picked up a basic blaster pistol. Normally, Ekeia only gave a blaster a second look when it was pointed at her, but she picked the weapon up anyways. She had had to use one before in dire situations, and she took it just in case this battle took a turn for the worse. Ekeia resumed her walk back to the main area and waited for the rest of the group to finish.

5th Command Headquarters
Armory
Kyataru

Tsainetomo strode past the others without so much as a word. In fact, the Korun-Keibatsu had said little to nothing at all since they'd arrived. From the space-port to the briefing, Sai was as a stone.

Understandable, since he was here for the gravest of reasons, and communing with one's inner-demons required a certain...reverence that idle chit-chat would not honor.

Passing the rows of blasters and racks of blades with surety, Sai spared them not one glance. No, his destination was predetermined. Rounding a corner, he came to a seeming dead end, the wall before him comprised of misshapen cobbles. A sun-darkened hand pressed several of the stones, and, with a whisper and rush of dust as the hermetic seal was breached, the wall revolved.

Revealed to Sai's tripartite eye was a shrine of sorts. A reliquary dedicated to his forebears. Instead of bones, however, it contained his heirlooms. Resting on a simple rack made of cherrywood, his father Nathaniel's katana mocked him. Constructed for Sai's grandfather, Meishu, it boasted an extended hilt, ostensibly to account for the same's martial weakness. The story was well-known; though newest to the Family, Sai's was the oldest cross to bear. Wrapped around it's simple scabbard was the weapon named for that man, as well: Meishu's Tear.

Sai regarded it momentarily as he inspected the chain that was attached to a foot-long kunai. It was deceptively simple in its design, but it was by Sai's employ had it gained its deadly reputation. The Korun disrobed, never taking his eyes off of the pair of weapons hanging before him, eschewing his Sadowan armor for a simple black and gray kimono. His mouth silently formed his supplications to his forebears as he took the katana and the Tear from their place, and the door sealed itself behind him as he whirled on a sandaled-heel.

As Tsainetomo made his way towards the entrance to the armory, he absently grabbed a heavy slug-thrower, a pistol with a revolving chamber and a smooth sandalwood grip. Archaic, but Sai was damned good with it, and here in 'Backwater Central' it, as would the katana and Tear, would be necessary if he was to blend and effectively maneuver amongst the populace.

Unfortunately for that same populace, Sai was long past the point of caring what they, or anyone else, thought. Which is why, as he joined the others, strong and silent as a henge, he felt comfort at the press of the twin-hilts of his strange Voice-gifted hilt at the small of his back. It was the only reminder he kept on him that spoke of his attachment to the Brotherhood, and it was his way of promising himself that he would return to them.

Leaning casually against a wall, he closed his eyes in meditation as the microts ticked their way towards his and his family's destiny.

Akechi Camp
Kyataran Shore

Mitsuhide sighed softly; he didn’t know what use he would be to Lord Keibatsu anymore. He had accepted the loss of his ward after years of separation from his homeworld. He had since settled on New Tython instructing those who sought him out.

He hefted the hilt of his saber, frowning at it. It had been nearly three years since he had lost his connection to the Force and became nothing more than a teacher. He could teach people the secrets of the Force, but not practical application. He felt the vacuous whole in his spirit, but accepted this loss as well. He hadn’t served out his penance yet for failing his family.

He looked around the camp, uncomfortable around the Keibatsu now that he didn’t share the same beliefs they held. He shook his head, “No matter their beliefs…they are my Lords. I will follow them to the grave without hesitation.”

He surveyed the supplies in his pack, making a rough inventory. With a nod, he threw the pack over his shoulder and began to attach his weapons to his armor. The armor was massively ceremonial, but he’d added enough modification to make it functional in a fight.

He looked at the demonic faceplate sitting on a nearby stone, “What are you grinning at? You are my face. The only face my enemies or my Lords will ever see again.”

With that, he finished tying his swords to his waist and clipped his saber to his sash. He lifted the mask into place, only his green eyes visible through the eyes of the demon.

He drew his blade from the sheath and sliced his palm. Crimson dripped onto the rocks and his eyes grew flat, “I may have failed in my intended duty, but I will redeem myself and my family. This I swear upon the blood and rocks, my face shall not be seen, nor shall my name be honored again until I have completely atoned for my past.”

With a flick of his wrist, the blood came away from his blade. With practiced grace, he re-sheathed his sword and stood on the shore, “Now, we shall see how the Keibatsu’s pet demon functions soon.”

He looked around the camp for a moment longer before keying his locator to signal pickup.

Outside Armory
Location Unknown
Kyataru

Shikyo watched his allies gather the items they desired before stepping outside into the ocean air. Enjoying the breeze caressing his face for a moment, he noticed the form of his elder brother watching the waves crash into the sands. Moving beside him and keeping his eyes forward, the Herald took what little time he had with his brother.

“It’s been too long since we could meet.”

“Too long, ototo.”

The two Keibatsu continued looking out to the waters, remembering the last time they had engaged the enemy in this kind of terrain. They were decimated and shamed. Back then, they had Muz to guide them in battle. This time, the brothers had to stand on their own and rely on their own strength to endure. It was a thought the two Krath shared for a moment, before the Herald turned towards the Dokugan-Ryu.

“Not stocking up on anything?”

Nekura grinned devilishly.

“I have everything I need here. Just make sure the Spear has sake on board.”

Shikyo nodded and smiled before returning back into the armory to ensure everyone was ready for the coming storm. As soon as he entered the doorway, the Force stopped him in his track, screaming of danger approaching. Turning back towards the beach, the Wolf heard Manji’s sabers ignite followed quickly by the sound of artillery whistling down on their position.

“Take cover!”

As soon as the words escaped his lips, the Elder was covered in dirt and soot from a nearby impact, the momentum throwing him into the building…

--------------------

The greatest miracle was that no one was dead. The greatest agony was seeing his brother’s body gravely injured yet refusing to lay down at the attacks of hounds. Sorrow, fear, and rage filled the mind of the Adept as he watched the medics take away his elder brother’s broken body, Dyrra following closely behind. Wanting the presence of another Force-sensitive nearby, Shikyo ordered the girl to stay close to her former master.

Katsuhide remained at the Herald’s side after things began to settle down. The Nihilgenia were still trying to find the origin of the attacks, coming back with inconclusive results. Turning towards his comrade, Sasuke bit back the anger fuming within him.

“Contact Tora and tell her we have an emergency in Kane’ohe. I need her here now. Finish preparations on the Masarao and stockpile ammunition. As soon as Ashia gets here, we send the keiseki back to Hell.”

Outside Armory
Location Unknown
Kyataru

The Nightsister slid silently into the doorway of the Armory; her presence going unnoticed for a moment or two by most that were there.

“It’s good to see you, sis.” The Herald didn’t even look up as he continued to assist his students with their weapons. The girls looked confused at the comment for a moment before they noticed the Pontifex leaning in the doorway.

A slight smile crossed her visage as she watched both Ekeia and Masika try to mask their surprise. Both seemed to realize that she hadn’t been there a moment before and no one heard her enter. Her brother-in-law’s students stood, mouths agape.

Ashia turned as Tsainetomo approached her. His tripartite eyes held hers for a moment; searching. He nodded to her.

“It IS good to see you again, cousin.”

“It is.” Was all she managed to get out. The strain on their relationship was evident, but both were working towards an understanding. Blood was thicker then water and even though she had married into this family, she was nevertheless family to them. She had a hard time accepting this sometimes.

Never get attached to anything you can’t walk away from in five microns.

The Nightsister had firmly believed this. That’s how she had been able to leave the Nightsisters and the Autochthonian Navy as easily as she had. Even her service to Naga Sadow; but this family…she couldn’t walk away from, even if she had wanted to. They call, she comes; it was that simple.

Everyone finished suiting up and arming themselves. Final checks were made and everyone seemed satisfied with their selections. The Pontifex stood and watched in silence; her hand resting on the hilt of one of her sabers out of habit.

Shikyo picked up a blaster and offered it to his sister-in-law along with a belt and holster for it. She shook her head and declined it. Her sabers were all she needed, after all.

His eyes locked onto hers; the hardness that had developed in him over the years was very evident. No longer was he the doting little brother, His time as Herald and his ability with the Force was incontestable; he had grown.

“Shin’ichi would kill me if I didn’t insist. You know that.” He looked at her hard.

She sighed and took the weapon; belting it around her waist so it hung on the opposite side from her sabers. Ashia pulled her warcoat around her and looked at him hard. It was obvious the Nightsister was not pleased.

The group exited the armory building. Sasuke conferred with Katsuhide for a moment, then turned towards the rest.

“Master?” Maria asked tentatively. “How did Lady Keibatsu get here?” She knew the Pontifex had not been planet side when the call had gone out and no ship was evident. It also hadn’t taken very long so how’d she get her so fast? The girl looked at her master with confusion filling her eyes.

“Translocation, my dear...my husband.”

The Jedi Hunter’s eyes fell down cast as the woman spoke to her. She could feel the Nightsister’s eyes bore into her as she tried to crawl into herself for asking such a question. Of course the Grand Master was able to drop her planet side within microns. She shouldn’t have been so foolish.

Misahide Armory
Location revealed to be Kwon’Tu Island
Kyataru

The arrival of his sister-in-law was a great relief, though he hated to see it at the cost of the health of his brother. Everyone was prepared and looking around at the variety of weaponry when Katsuhide appeared before the Herald, bowing his head slightly.

“Shikyo, all transports are ready.”

A wolfish grin found its way upon the Elder’s face as he prepared his heart and mind to the destruction of the bastards who found themselves too bold. Making his way towards the back of the armory, he placed his hand on a scanner as it identified his DNA. A cheerful succession of beeps acknowledged the user and opened a great door into an underground hanger.

Everyone gathered on the Dark Councilor’s position and noted the Fallen Spear and Masarao sitting within, engines warming up and preparing for departure. As the Nihilgenia began to form up in front of the ships, the Wolf wasted no time handing out assignments.

“7th Nihilgenia have just been brought in for you, Sis. You’ll be Team Omega. Sai, we’ve transferred some of the 4th Nihilgenia forces under your command. You’ll be Team Alpha. Some of my troops will be under your command as Team Beta, Mitsuhide. I’ll take team Delta.”

“Alpha and Omega will take the Fallen Spear. Beta and Delta have the Masarao. Alpha will be dropped at LZ Epsilon in 20. Omega, 5 minutes afterwards at LZ Kilo. Beta will reach LZ Oscar in 15; Delta, 10 minutes afterwards to LZ Sierra. May the Force serve us well.”

The Nihilgenia came to attention then made their ways to their respected transports, double timing the way there. Taking a deep breath, Shikyo felt a hand on his shoulder in a sign to comfort him. Looking back, he saw his sister smiling at him and giving a nod of her head before moving towards the Spear. She might have been married into the family but she was blood in his eyes and he was happy to see her alongside them. Sai took the hand of his cousin and yelled out teasing insults and best wishes over the roar of the engines before moving with Ekeia to their ship.

Shikyo looked up at the Masarao in awe and excitement, taking in the view of the first armored transport developed by the Kyataran Institute. Mitsuhide and Masika moved towards the Elder, looking at the ship before getting aboard. As he looked around the hangar, he watched his apprentices move to his side and nod slightly to him. Turning back, Katsuhide stood before his commander, helmet locked in place.

“Sir, your pistols are ready on board the ship.”

Grinning to himself, the anticipation of war swell deep within his heart.

“Let’s do this…”

Fallen Spear
En Route to LZ Epsilon, T-minus 2 minutes

The war-cruiser skimmed along at treetop level, the indigenous wildlife startled into action as the roar of the great engines shattered the stillness.

Tsainetomo stood at an open hatch, sweating inside his kimono and the impact suit he'd donned, his mind in perfect sync with the chronometer that marked the time until the Spear would loose her deadly cargo upon the planet. The winds whipped at his queue of hair, and his eyes squinted against the gale, but Sai was nonplussed. Here was when he felt most aware, in these unsure moments before battle, in the silence that bracketed the question of success or failure; of life or death.

At his back stood elements of the 4th Nihilgenia. 300 strong, silent enforcers of the Keibatsu Word. There was no idle chatter, no conversations of home or retirement plans. There was only the methodical click of equipment being checked and re-checked. They knew their duties; rather, they'd been born knowing them, so Sai wouldn't have to waste his breath.

Out of the corner of his eye, he espied his cousin Ashia. Her team, slated to drop five minutes after his, was in a similar state of battle readiness, as the clones battened up armor and slapped powerpacks into blaster rifles. The plan was to have Alpha team perform a LOLO drop at just above treetop level, and just as the last man exited the Spear, Team Omega would execute a similar drop as the cruiser accelerated at a steep angle, its violent departure distracting any forces that might've been alerted to their presence by Alpha. It was a solid plan, and Ashia's purposeful strides as she inspected her contingent radiated her belief in it. Sai sighed inwardly; the last time they were similarly assembled, they were just as confident.

And they were summarily sent running with their collective tails between their legs, his Master's jaw left to blanch in the Kyataran sun, its half-grin mocking them as they left to lick their wounds.

This time would be different, promised Sai. It would be different if he had to render Misahide to a sheet of glass himself to make it so.

A claxon blared, signalling 30 seconds until Alpha Team's drop. The internal lighting in the space was cut, only the amber glow of the 'Ready' LED's bathing their faces. Sai stood, his hands on either side of the hatchway's frame, and he cast a sidelong glance over his shoulder to his company commander. A curt nod and a hefted rifle answered his unspoken query.

Sai was out of the hatch a micron before the internal lighting switched to green, and he fell, knowing his troops were seconds behind him. There was no time to enjoy the drop, they were so close to the ground. A roar and a shockwave of compressed air met his back as the Spear accelerated and climbed, the whine of the engines telling Sai that his men had been safely disgorged from the belly of the cruiser.

He crashed through the canopy and rolled to his feet, his tripartite eyes scanning the brush for any untoward movement. Hitting the release, Sai shrugged as his impact suit fell away, and he found several of his men crashing through the treetops in similar fashion. The company commander rushed to the Keibatsu's side, activating a short-range transponder. The signal gave the Nihilgenia a point of reckoning, so that they could immediately form either a defensive perimeter, or in their case, skirmish lines and wouldn't all have to form up on Sai first, wasting precious time. No, this was an offensive, pure and simple.

It was a pity that the insurgents didn't share Sai's appreciation for efficiency or political position, otherwise, they would've politely waited for him to get his troops moving before their fortified positions opened up, blaster-rifles screaming and turrets belching great hyphens of sizzling death.

The Kyataran soil erupted in great fonts of earth, wood and stone as the 4th's position was pummeled unmercifully. Sai took cover as did the scattered elements of the Nihilgenia under his command, and the Keibatsu bared his teeth as the ground shook beneath them. As hard as it was, he stayed still. These weren't the mundane of D:SOG; these were troops bred for combat, and he knew that in short order, they'd begin plying their trade at his word. He just needed information first.

Sai was not disappointed. His Comms Operator and personal comm unit both began to feed him what he was looking for, messages in clipped Kyataran and Basic flooding his awareness.

'{Sir, we are taking fire from forward positions...}'

'Elements of Squads 2, 3, and 5 report total loss...'

Sai quickly formulated a plan. Well, it wasn't so much a plan as it was an acknowledgement of the only solution. He'd lost 25 men upon touchdown; regrettable, to be sure, but what was done, was Done. He did know that the enemy was right in front of them...and that Ashia would be on the ground soon as well. Sure enough, a quick check of his transponder confirmed that Ashia's team had begun their drop.

He had to get to her. The insurgents stood in his way.

Poor bastards.

Grinning as he picked up a fallen trooper's rifle, he began to shuffle forward at a crouch, the Dark Side warning him in plenty of time to incoming fire and enabling him to dodge nimbly. He opened up with his rifle, simultaneously barking his orders to advance.

'{Squad's 1, 4, 6...forward, fire for effect! Locate and destroy those turrets! Squad 7, Squad 8, covering fire, then follow in 15! We'll cut a swath right through them! Attack! We move towards Omega! Move, move!}'

Without direction, the Nihilgenia were fairly self-sufficient, a good number of operational and survival directives embedded within their collective DNA to allow them to function better than most systems' standing armies.

When they had direction from their Keibatsu masters, they were as one mind, a broadsword when only a scalpel would be needed.

Sai let swing with full abandon.

As loud as it was on the battlefield, it got impossibly louder as the Nihilgenia opened up, returning the insurgents' fire with precision as they hastened to follow their orders in mechanical and well-practiced lethality.

Discarding his spent rifle, he executed a Force-assisted somersault over a newly-created crater, planting his hands on another as he landed. The action around him was frenetic, but his breath came easy and regular, the lockstep rhythm focusing him and granting him greater access to his gifts. The bolts that sped from his rifle reflected briefly in his eyes as they flitted about his field of fire, finding targets even as they fell.

Sai's grin grew wider.