Harnan Ren
Knights of Ren
Posts: 601
Affiliation: Knights of Ren
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Post by Harnan Ren on Feb 3, 2021 5:21:54 GMT -8
Not long after the Imperial Troop Deployment Pod crashed into the Black Stone Citadel, The Intimidator moved into position up in low orbit. The gun crews acquired their target and fired several Heavy Turbolaser and standard Turbolaser cannons down at the Citadel, along with half a dozen Proton Torpedos. Given its remote location on the Leviathan Rift, there was no risk of the Orbital Strike negatively affecting the Imperial Control Sector
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Lord Nexus
The Vegemite Enclave
Posts: 174 
Affiliation: Chaos
Traffic Light: Blue
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Post by Lord Nexus on Feb 3, 2021 5:53:01 GMT -8
The single Imperial Troop Deployment Pod raced down through Byss' atmosphere and slammed into the remains of the Black Stone Citadel. Quickly the 12 commandos within secured their kit and supplies. Their commander ordered them to deploy in teams of two into the ruined citadel and to find cover and concealment. The deployment pod was set to self destruct, and the six teams fanned out into the labyrinthine but ruined facility.The infiltrators were from the elite commandos of Clan Australis, a mixed team of twelve comprising the greenbacks and the night witches. All were skilled in long term reconnaissance missions behind enemy lines, and were well suited to the job of covert intelligence gathering.Harnan Ren
From within the bowels of the citadel, something stirred, as the pods crashed within the perimeter. Since the Dark Lord's imprisonment, most of the Dark Legion and Dark Tide troops were either relocated, or fled to steal a slice of Byss during the years of chaos - as such, the defenses did not appear present. Yet this was the home of Darth Nexus, who was known to master the arcane arts of the sith, as such, his traps were not noticed by the untrained eye.
Yet the traps never sprung, as an armor clad man stepped out of the second pod - the one which also landed in the facility. Heavy, rune covered beskar plates covered most of him, yet even under the armor, he was a titan of a man. For those that did not know, he seemed to be a man out of place, yet his presence was felt by that which lay within the bastion. And those who saw the helmet wrought of bone and metal knew - Darth Nexus had returned.
The Dark Lord had made his way into the facility, opening the great metal gates with a wave of his hand, looking to rendezvous with the Australis detachment - as he made his way into the facility, he took in the sights. While abandoned, the citadel still held onto its glory - these walls were built for war and the ravages of time after all. The Dark Lord immediately headed for one of the tunnel entrances, making his way into the belly of the facility.
Then suddenly there was a disturbance, as a barrage of orbital fire caused the structure to rumble - but this was a military fortress, and she would hold, even unmanned. While the surface was a gilded palace, the true facility was enclosed deep within the rift - this was built here not for convenience or to distance itself from the planets imperial past, but rather because it was a strategic location. As the ground trembled and the air was filled with the concussive bellows of explosions, the Dark Lord could not help but smile beneath his helmet. It was a welcoming party to herald the Lord of Chaos. He pushed forward, with a running pace - speaking into his helmet as he ran.Hssiss team, this is Drexyl Alpha. Re-entry complete - making way to your location |
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,036
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kaine Australis on Feb 3, 2021 6:01:25 GMT -8
The strike team had known what was bound to happen very soon after they landed. Fortunately for the interlopers, Black Legion Citadel, though long abandoned, was vast and well suited to hide in. The six teams of two, including the commander's own twosome, headed underground and well into cover.
They had secured themselves as best they could when the enemy's bombardment began, thundering through the base. On the surface, overgrown and once luscious gardens and citadel towers were blasted to ash and powder by the Ren's blasts. The surface of the mountain fastness could be reduced and reduced further from orbit.
Hssiss team, led by the old boar Kaine Australis himself, sat quietly and waited to see how long the Ren would pound the complex from above before coming down to see if anyone escaped. Then the fun could begin.::Drexl Alpha, this is Old Boar. We're all still here. Nice digs.:: Kaine said with a little mirth. He was too old to be going on missions like this, but he could hardly miss the opportunity for ridiculous amounts of danger and to aid a new comrade.Lord Nexus Harnan Ren
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Harnan Ren
Knights of Ren
Posts: 601
Affiliation: Knights of Ren
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Post by Harnan Ren on Feb 4, 2021 4:32:53 GMT -8
The Intimidator continued its barrage, raining down additional turbolaser fire and proton torpedo strikes. The Black Stone Citadel could be called a Military Fortress all day, but without a shield it was extremely vulnerable to the hellfire being rained down upon it. The Turbolaser fire along would crush and turn any metal or stone into molten slag, while the proton torpedoes would crack the building and tunnels beneath wide open. As soon as the surface was torn asunder and the warrens below exposed, a pair of Scimitar Mark I Assault Bombers were dispatched from above. The first Scimitar made a run and dropped a single Seismic Charge down through the ruins and into the top most layer of tunnel systems before the charge sucked in the surrounding air and then let out its signature seismic explosion. A sound which would undoubtedly echo through to the lower levels
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,036
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kaine Australis on Feb 4, 2021 5:17:51 GMT -8
Kaine's Hsisss team sat quietly and waited to see how long the Ren would pound the complex from above. It served Kaine's purpose if the enemy extended the bombardment and destroyed the Citadel and the levels below the surface. This was a shabla mountain complex, with tunnels and caverns, and deep bunkers. Even as a ruin, and the Ren seemed determined to make it more so, it was a labyrintine warren of significant depths.
The Marshal considered the Ren were making work for themselves should they intend to eventually move into the Citadel in force. Destroying the usable access to the lower levels would make digging the intruders out all the more difficult. Kaine's teams could dig their way out at need, and carried enough supplies to hold out for a decent time. The recon teams were well willing to wait it out. Should the enemy wish to avoid a lengthy search, they would need to level the entire mountain range to be sure of having killed the interlopers. That, to Kaine, seemed a little excessive.
The Dark Lord Nexus had returned to Byss, and he would not be repulsed by a pitiful orbital strike, nor would his comrades in arms who had come to aid his return. This fight was not to be settled so quickly, so easily, nor from such a distance.Harnan Ren Lord Nexus
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Lord Nexus
The Vegemite Enclave
Posts: 174
Affiliation: Chaos
Traffic Light: Blue
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Post by Lord Nexus on Feb 4, 2021 5:48:43 GMT -8
The smell of fire, Smoke and molten earth permeated as the bombardment continued - The Dark Lord sprinted down a near by corridor, ignoring the alarming proximity of the blasts as he went deeper into the facilities under belly. He finally reached what appeared to be a dead end - though with the wave of his hand, a granite panel slid aside, revealing a security panel - this was one that only he and his praetorians knew of.
As the echoes and rumbles of explosions rang from above, Nexus entered a hasty security clearance code into the panel, knowing he had to move quickly. While the majority of the facilities exterior systems were inactive, the warrens beneath ran on a separate power source, and were on stand by. With an affirmative ping, Nexus entered retrieved a data chit and connected it to his wrist mounted computer. Deep beneath the carnage, the facility began to whirl to life, as lights activated, and doors and respective blast doors let out a low hum. The panel slid back over the security pad, and a low rumbling could be heard as what appeared to be a wall slid aside to reveal a heavy blast door. He entered it, noting the rumble and definitive sound of locks clamping.
Darth Nexus went deeper still, this time in a run, as he tapped a few keys on his computer, activating containment protocols.
It was clear that the Usurper had earned his name as 'Ren', as poured endless resources into the mountain range - hoping to use the legendary 'Fire Everything' method on the mountain range. As he glassed the surface, the Dark Lord only made his way deeper into the facility. The whole while, the ceiling reverberated from surface fire.
Rendezvous with the following coordinates - according to your position, you should be near a maintenance turbo lift to take you deeper into the structure
The Dark Lord pressed a few keys on his display panel for comms, which patched into the units encrypted frequency. As he did so, he couldnt help but smirk beneath his helmet.
Such hubris.
Darth Nexus had heard fleeting tales of this First Order - all of the fire power of the Empire, yet rather than being composed of strategists and tacticians, it seemed to compose of green blooded children that had their first taste of power. The Dark Lord mused at this - he was here to retrieve data, and had even considered breaking bread with the men who took away his home, however given the hospitality, peace was no longer an option.
It was clear that the First Order did not know of the first rule of war: always know your enemy. While on the surface, the stone cracked and fused into molten glass, there was thousands of feet of mountain, and even deeper still were the tunnels that ran beneath the surface. The Dark Lord lived on Byss for many years - and was always involved in galactic war, as such, he had built this bastion with such in mind. They could glass the surface, yet these tunnels ran deep. While shields were installed, the deep roads were a contingency, for if they failed. No matter how much fire power was used, unless the First Order had a planet killer, bombardment was futile.
As the Dark Lord entered a massive turbolift, he heard the seismic charge's iconic 'fwooommmm' as it echoed through the halls, promptly followed by the rumbling of the sub-basement levels collapsing. Digging through that would take time. And with the lack of intel present, it was only a matter of time before Harnan assumed his orbital bombardment had done its job, and he would lose interest. Well, either that or he blatantly ignored the ecological effects of major glassing to a planet.
I managed to access a security panel, so systems should be active - along with containment protocols. Let me know if you encounter any resistance.
Then the dark lord let the low thrumming of the turbolifts repulsor drown out the explosion, as they rapidly descended far beneath the surface, into the great hall which he named - the catacombs. The maintenance elevator near Kaine's unit should bring him on the otherside of the room, allowing them to establish it as a primary entry point.
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Harnan Ren
Knights of Ren
Posts: 601
Affiliation: Knights of Ren
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Post by Harnan Ren on Feb 6, 2021 2:59:23 GMT -8
With the Citadel on the surface in ruins and the upper most layer having been crushed in on itself, the Intimidator ceased its orbital strike upon the location at Captain Smith's orders. The sensor crews began running scans on the mountain range, mapping the surface and everything buried beneath the surface. The data was composited together and put up in front of Captain John Smith for him to review. The mountain itself was shown in a light blue transparent overlay while the structures within were displayed in red. Amazingly, the power systems to the base, which had been laying dormant for what must have been 20 years or so, had somehow been activated with apparent ease. Most likely a lucky reactivation attempt. The scans revealed the most likely positions of the power generation systems along with what appeared to still be life signs deep beneath the surface.
But before Captain Smith could properly process it all, the holographic form of Harnan Ren suddenly appeared at the opposite side of the command table. The Master of the Ren was clad in his usual kit as he seemed to examine the display
Lord Ren...
Captain... I see our interlopers managed to catch some lucky breaks and have taken refuge deep in the mountain?
It would appear so. Apparently the time taken to track their trajectory and move into position was enough to allow them to land and get beneath the surface. Power has been restored to the lower levels and we've begun mapping the mountain...
Level the mountain... Recall the Scimitar's and any Interdictor Starfighter's and get them outfitted with Seismic Charges. Cave in their escape tunnels from the mountain and bring it all down on top of their heads. They had their chance to meet us in the open, now they'll die in the darkness as they have chosen to do so...
As you wish my Lord...
The image of Harnan Ren disappeared then, leaving Captain John Smith to his work. Half of the squadron of Scimitar Mark I Assault Bombers aboard the Intimidator were outfitted with Penetration Bombs, before being launched. They screamed down through the atmosphere towards the Rift and began dropping the Penetration Bombs around the base of the mountain. The explosive devices impacted the ground and dug themselves in, before exploding. The concussion shock waves breached deep into the surface, and would cause the collapse of any and all tunnels into and out of the Mountain. Meanwhile, the second half of the squadron were outfitted with Seismic Charges. The remaining Scimitar's were launched and proceeded to drop their payloads at strategically marked spots across the mountain. Soon the mountain was shaken and would be cracked apart by the detonation of the seismic charges which were designed for this type of work. The bombing runs dropped their payloads from the base up toward the summit.
A squadron of TIE/IT Interdictor Starfighters had docked with the Intimidator and were quickly outfitted with payloads of Penetration Bombs and Seismic Charges. As soon as their payloads were loaded up, the TIE/IT's were beginning to launch and make their runs on the mountain. Penetration Bombs were peppered around the base and across the Mountain, collapsing the escape tunnels and seeking to breach down and destabilise the generation facilities built underground. Further Seismic Charges were dropped to crack the Leviathan Rift and reduce everything within to ashes. Without the mountain itself, the structures buried within would be crushed either by the destruction of the mountain or their own unsupported weight.
The Ren had no interest in the old Citadel nor did they intend to swarm the site in force on the ground. These intruders had every chance to approach and engage the Ren and First Order in the open. They had instead chosen to infiltrate the planet under the cover of a stealth vessel, meaning they had never considered peace to be an option. And Harnan was more than happy to oblige anyone who tried to sneak into a house he was occupying with the "hospitality" anyone would provide intruders
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,036
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kaine Australis on Feb 6, 2021 7:40:39 GMT -8
The bombardment continued apace. Despite their depth, Kaine could feel the rumbles from above, harbinger of imminent doom. If not imminent, then eventual. If the Ren's wrathful blasting continued, they could and would eventually reduce the entire escarpment down to a crater. The Australis Alor and his team would prefer not to still be in the vicinity by the time that eventuality presented itself. For now, they had time, just not infinite amounts of it.Led by the well informed directions of the Dark Lord, Hssiss Team managed to rendezvous in good order without casualties. They had all noted some of the long dormant systems powering up, though the resurrection of the complex was by no means complete, or even widespread. Entire sections remained dark and dormant. Kaine didn't give a fig for the Citadel itself, this was merely their insertion point. Nexus's intelligence would lead them on to their next objective.::No resistance, though our friends above don't look like they're going to stop.:: The booming emphasized Kaine's point. ::Assuming our exit strategy is in effect, we'll meet you there once you've collected the payload.::Kaine clicked off. One of the Commandos queried the Alor. What payload? Kaine cocked his head. Something very nasty. He noticed one of the other commandos lugging a moderately sized device. What's that?The Commando answered back. Old fusion generator. We can rig it to overload and we've got us a nice big boom. Kaine smiled, though they wouldn't see it, they'd hear it in his voice. Nice work. Let's get moving.He led his team ever deeper into the doomed complex, sure that their exit would present itself before the enemy caught on to the danger.Lord Nexus Harnan Ren
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Lord Nexus
The Vegemite Enclave
Posts: 174
Affiliation: Chaos
Traffic Light: Blue
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Post by Lord Nexus on Feb 10, 2021 6:27:28 GMT -8
As the thunderous booms echoed louder with each strike, the Dark Lord knew they had precious little time – it was clear that the First Order sought to level the entire sector – and while Nexus had faith in his construct, he was not intending to stay here. He had a mission to complete.Boom, Crack!An ominous reverberation filled the great hall as the striking continued. He pushed further into the cavernous hall, tapping a display screen on his gauntlet a few times to route further information to Kaine and his men. It highlighted a route to an exit point that appeared to not be compromised – one of the many hidden tunnels that networked beneath the earth. This particular tunnel exited 50 kilometers away from the Leviathan Rift, in a canyon – concealed by a reinforced cave entrance.::No resistance, though our friends above don't look like they're going to stop.:: The booming emphasized Kaine's point. ::Assuming our exit strategy is in effect, we'll meet you there once you've collected the payload.::
Nexus crossed the gap between the entrance and the monolith in quick, confident stride. Resting his hand on the altar, he pushed against the stone, which budged as a hidden panel sank. There was a low hum of static, before light flooded the top of the altar. It was a massive holoprojector – while this room was old, it was not without its modern aspects. Nexus reached into his pocket, procuring a data stick, which he inserted into another hidden panel – on the screen, a data transfer could be seen commencing. Images flashed on the screen, though they were changing too quickly to cohesively know what was being pulled from the drives.
As this happened, Nexus made his way to one of the walls. He mimicked a similar hand motion to the one he used on the door. The loud hiss of decompression filled the room, as a large hidden drawer slid open from the wall, casting an eerie red light from within. Nexus reached in, procuring a small black metal box, which was barely larger than a jedi holocron. Fastening it to his belt, the drawer slid shut. An audible ping echoed shortly thereafter, indicating that the data transfer was complete. He retrieved the drive, and pressed the hidden panel on the altar once more, disabling the computer. Finally, Nexus walked around the far end of the monolith, pressing his hand against the stone – unlike the room, the stone was warm to the touch. He slid his hand around the smooth surface before he found what he was looking for – a small pocket tucked away, one which he reached his hand into.There was a sudden sharp pain, followed by a low his, as a concealed syringe verified his DNA. The back of the monolith suddenly moved, sliding open to reveal a large interior chamber. As the panels doors slid open, a light emitted from it, and the Dark Lord smiled beneath his helmet once more. He reached in, procuring that which the monolith secured.Anyone who could sense the force, would note a sudden surge in its presence, the aura emanating from deep within Byss – akin to a pulse of energy. Something woke up.-Some Time Later-The walls were beginning to crumble as Nexus made his way to the coordinates where he led Kaine and his men. It was a port of some sort, though there were no ships. Instead, there was a long, narrow gravsled waiting. If Kaine and his men had made it to the rendezvous, the man that greeted them did not look the same as when he had landed, aside from his infamous helmet. He entered the chambers clad in a bulkier, more archaic armor, one which had a malicious glimmer to it. On his shoulders, there were two electrum clasps, holding a thick cape in place – the hilt of some sort of massive sword could be seen. This was the armor he was often seen wearing in holo-records. He landed as Drexl Prime, but he was leaving the remnants of the citadel as Darth Nexus, the Lord of Chaos.
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Harnan Ren
Knights of Ren
Posts: 601
Affiliation: Knights of Ren
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Post by Harnan Ren on Feb 16, 2021 4:15:17 GMT -8
More and more of the mountain range crumbled apart, bringing with it the wreckage of the Black Stone Citadel and the many tunnels and cavernous spaces within. The bombers continued their runs, restocking their payloads upon the Intimidator, before swooping back down upon the mountain range. Their bombs driving and penetrating deeper and deeper into the ground as more of the mountain range and base beneath was reduced to dust. Penetration Bombs dug deeper and deeper, sending out concussive shock waves through the ground, while the Seismic Charges cut through rock like a knife through hot butter. Carving the entire site up at a number of varied angles and places. Few things should be capable of surviving such a strike, no matter how much they thought this engagement would not be won from so far away. The Leviathan Rift, which had formerly been a mountain range, was quickly becoming a crater in the ground
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,036
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kaine Australis on Feb 16, 2021 5:33:25 GMT -8
The Dark Lord Nexus had returned to Byss, and he would not be repulsed, nor would his comrades in arms who had come to aid his return. This fight was not to be settled so quickly, so easily, nor from such a distance. Should the enemy wish to avoid a lengthy search, they would need to level the entire mountain range to be sure of having killed the interlopers.
As the Australis assault team made its way through the deep dark tunnels of the ruined complex, the distant drums of the blasting from the Ren forces were both an accompaniment and an encouragement to keep moving. Their jaunt through the depths brought them eventually to a rendezvous some distance from their insertion point, though the distant blasts were still clearly audible.
Kaine faced the Dark Lord, though he couldn't sense anything in the Force, he could see from Nexus' bearing that a change had occured. This was Nexus's show and they were in Nexus's house, so Kaine deferred. He nodded his head to Nexus.::Time to get going.:: Kaine said, voice slightly modulated by his helmet.The Ren would eventually have to figure out where they had gone, and where they were going, but for now the advance team still had space and time to act. By now, Kaine knew, Flash and the fleet would be up there in space. The die was cast, now they had to see the mission through to the successful end, or all die in the attempt. The only way out, was through.Lord Nexus Harnan Ren
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Lord Nexus
The Vegemite Enclave
Posts: 174
Affiliation: Chaos
Traffic Light: Blue
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Post by Lord Nexus on Feb 23, 2021 6:05:29 GMT -8
As the mountains crumbled, and fire and smoke filled the skies above, the ones who would remind the galaxy began to move, ignoring the warning rumbles. The Sith and his Mandalorian allies, brothers in arms, made their way as one. The Dark Lord gestured for Kaine to board the sled with his men first, casting a longing glance at the falling bastion - this was the heart of Byss, and the First Order sought to send a message by crushing it.
That was a mistake that Darth Nexus would be sure to rectify. As he looked at the cracked, crumbling walls of his home one final time, he rested a weary, gloved hand against a pillar, reaching out in the force to give his home a final good bye.
"While you may fall, your legacy shall live on, Old Girl."
And with that, the Sith mounted the Grav Sled, punching in the ignition code. The rumbles grew ominously louder, as claxtons began to echo in the chambers. Blast doors at the mouth of a tunnel slid open, revealing a dark shaft, while the door that he entered the room sealed shut. This was the end of the Black Stone Citadel - and the beginning of something new. The door to the covered transport slid shut, encasing them in a pressurized compartment.
There was a low hum as the sled came to life. The Dark Lord took his seat - grabbing a brace rail, as the hum grew to a loud whine. Then a sudden lurch and snap, as the sled came to life, screaming as it bolted from its berth, into the tunnel at breakneck speeds. The light behind them grew faint as the blast doors to the tunnel closed behind them. The tracks lead at a downward angle at a 18% incline, progressively accelerating them before leveling out. The journey would be a few hours, and it would move them far from what was once the Leviathan Rift.
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