Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
Posts: 1,416
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Dragus on May 18, 2023 5:56:34 GMT -8
All five members of Famine's Flock gathered at the top of the Seeing Spire that looked out into the oblivion that threatened to consume the charon homeworld, as it was slowly being pulled into the nearby blackhole over the course of centuries. The Dark Apothecary arrived last, wearing his molted arachnid flesh long-coat, tapping the ground with his saber-cane as he walked towards the gathering. A large tarp covered what the ewoks, ranat, and rishii in attendance assumed was the Grimblade. They were right, of course, but it was not entirely the same ship they remembered. As the saurian Sith approached, he summon a measure of the Anti-Force into his palm and ripped the tarp covering the modified star courier away with a telekinetic tug. The covering slid free to reveal the Famine Lord's signature scimitar, though it was hardly the same ship that had entered Otherspace three decades earlier.
It's hull was a metallic blue, covered in a filmy layer of synthesized nihil smokestone that the mad alchemist had processed into a spray on coating, giving the vessel a midnight hue. Several exhaust nozzles jutted from the back and the sides of the fuselage, while a rather large block engine protruded from the nose, all crafted from alchemy in the hell-forge beneath the Citadel of the Eye. The cost had been exorbitant, with hundreds of thousands of the charon species being sacrificed on the pyre of the Hungering One's ambition. The Grimblade had been transformed from a sleek black dart into a furious beast, practically growling as it remained parked on the roof of the dread tower from which the Great Devourer ruled over the planet. Every member of the Flock looked on the transformed vessel with awe, save perhaps Lil'Havok, who was blind as thus could not see the changes. Retrieving a remote from his pocket, Dragus pressed a talon tipped digit onto the ramp controls and was rewarded with a hydraulic whine as the ship unsealed.
Lil'Bacca and Lil'Mort jockeyed for position as they raced up the ramp, though Squeakers managed to beat them to the lift, holding the door open with a gnarled paw while the richly dressed rodent waited for Dragus and their milky eyed pilot. Squawkers flapped her red feathered wings once before tucking them into her sides and stalking aboard as well, her avian head twisting left and right as she looked at the changes to her former cage, somewhat less frightened then the last time she had been aboard. All of them ascended to the second level, with most finding seats in the lounge while Lil'Havok took the pilots chair and Squeakers joined him in the seat beside it. For his part, the black scaled barabel hovered back, resting a claw on the top of the co-pilots chair as he peered out the viewport window of the cockpit.
What they were about to attempt was a risk, there was no guarantee of success. More so, there was also no guarantee that once they breached Otherspace, or if, that they would be able to return. Say what you would about the colourless pocket dimension, the members of the flock had made a home for themselves here this later thirty years, even if their bodies didn't reflect that. Dragus had built an entire spider empire, one he was not eager to abandon. However, the allure of his old alchemy lab called to him. There were many ingredients that simply could not be found in this other reality. Not to mention, the Eye itself beckoned to him, and that was a command he could not refuse.
"Take uz out of the atmosssphere, my visssually impaired friend." Hissed the drake lord to the pilot, raising his snout to look up at the dark yawning maw of the blackhole they bordered. Repulsors whined and the Grimblade's engines powered up with a mechanical growl, the new engines roaring loud enough to affect the hearing of those inside the ship. Dragus tore two strips of spider flesh from his coat and stuffed them into his ear holes, easing the irritating noise that made it hard to concentrate.
A plume of dust was expelled as the Grimblade launched from the top of the tower and streaked up into the grey sky, rapidly accelerating as it first broke barrier after barrier. First the atmosphere, then gravity, next the very dimensional veil itself if he had anything to say about it. Expelling a scorching crimson heat from its rear quarters, the star courier accelerated to never before reached speeds as its sublight drive was pushed beyond the realm of scientific possibility. Only a mind as deviously brilliant as the Blood Wyrm could have devised of a sorcerous engine to yield the properties of the alien energy field that served as Otherspace's version of the Force. Red lightning crackled across the hull of the ship, scorching the smokestone layer and wreathing the slender dart into a smoking bullet. As their speed continued to climb, the inertial compensators could no longer moderate the G forces the ship was experiencing, causing Dragus' scaled feet to rise off the deck as his body was drawn towards the rear of the cockpit. His claws gripped the headrests of the pilot and co-pilot chairs as his body seemed to float, falling horizontally save for the strength of his arms. He heard several bestial complaints from the back lounge as the rest of the flock was squished against the lift doors.
"Fassster!" Snarled Dragus through grit fangs as bloody foam drizzled in spiraling lengths from the sides of his lips, soaking the flock at the back in his streaming and positively steaming saliva. "We mussst go fassster!"
Somehow with the Dark Apothecary's enhancements, the Grimblade had made it to a whopping 666 000 kph, and was continuing to increase its insane rush as it tried to reach the necessary 880 000 kph to activate the helldrive and jump to hyperspace. They were quickly running out of a race track as the blackhole appeared before them, its gravitational pull being felt upon the hull with a groaning lurch as the skeletal structure strained beneath. That pull was the burst of speed the nimble courier required, boosting it up the last couple kph until it hit the magic number and vanished in a brilliant flaming flash of light.
Dragus, Lil'Bacca, Lil'Mort, Lil'Havok, Squeakers, and Squawkers had all managed to escape Otherspace, heading into hyperspace towards parts unknown. Where will our villains reenter reality? Only time will tell.
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Post by Professor Arachnus on Jun 17, 2023 2:14:37 GMT -8
Hyperspace, usually perceived as a series of swirling blue bands, churned unnaturally as a massive black obelisk bored its way through the lightspeed dimension. The arcane energies contained within the Felstorm had an effect on this alternative realm, causing its tides to seethe red as though swelling with blood, crackling with discharges of sorcerous lightning. The Star Pyramid did not simply travel pre-determined hyperlanes, it carved its own path through the hellish unreality.
Inside the Arcaneum Diabolicus, an affectionate title given to the Red Sage's vast collection of Darkside antiquities, Professor Arachnus was hard at work preparing an item for his beloved master. While they hadn't discussed the matter, the Dark Forge's blessing had gifted the cyber-arachnid with a powerful intuition. The mechanical spider had a notion where the Fabricator General's interests would lie, thus, he laboured diligently to fufill the Demon of Hypori's desires before a request was ever made. With the assistance of his two parrot drones, otherwise known as ID9 seeker droids, the academically inclined servant cleansed a lightsaber pike recovered from Zakuul. Such was the craftsmanship of the weapon that even after aeons of collecting dust, its golden hued gilding still possessed a reflective sheen, brought out by a good polishing.
Manipulating his multitude of slender limbs, Arachnus removed any clinging particles, carefully removing long desiccated blood that had become trapped in the grooves between segments. This weapon had seen action. Its story was one of ruin and woe, aptly suited for his master's nefarious designs, he suspected. When he was completed, he turned the pike over, inspecting the length for any flaws or imperfections. Satisfied with the finished result, the Professor wrapped the resplendent haft that distorted the aether around it with past echoes of violence, bundling it in dark maroon zeyd-cloth that invoked images of dark blood.
"Bring this to the Forge Master!" Commanded Arachnus with a metallic shriek, raising the bound haft up in offering upon his two front legs. An IG-100 MagnaGuard with hateful red photo-receptors bowed and accepted the prepared pike, beginning the long trek through the vast and maze like passageways of the Star Pyramid towards Valefor's workshop. A note from the Professor was attached to the object. It read as follows:
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Valefor
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 284
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Valefor on Jun 17, 2023 5:03:13 GMT -8
The Demon Sorcerer had become so engrossed in his study and work that he hardly registered the minutes and hours as they passed by on their voyage through Hyperspace. He had gotten filled with dark inspiration for a new weapon with which to wield in the battles ahead and when such things struck he wanted to perfect the techniques he would need for the work ahead. Thus it was that he found himself startled out of his work when the MagnaGuard knocked upon the door to his private workshop. So startled was he that he just about tossed the door open and tore the droid apart.
However, his anger at the interruption was tempered as he opened the door to find the MagnaGuard wielding a dark maroon zeyd-cloth bundle with a note attached to it. He grabbed the centre point of the shaft and took it from the droid before turning about and closing the door to his workshop. He pulled the note free to find that Arachnus had been quite busy and very forward thinking. Certainly very fortuitous that his most loyal servant would offer up a Zakuulan Saber Pike to go with the ritual which Valkorion had written down from the same time period. He crumpled the note and whispered an incantation which ignite a green flame.
With the note disposed of, he untied the cloth from around the top of the pike to reveal the weapon beneath. It would be perfectly suited for the task at hand and would save them having to make a stop anywhere or forge a spear shaft. He unwrapped the rest of the cloth and tossed it onto one table whilst carrying the pike to another table where he got to work making some alterations to the item. Primarily this involved gutting the old emitter from the top of the staff and throwing the electronics away. He then took apart the casing and got the small Forge within his workshop lit and warmed up. He heated the metal components and began reshaping them, turning them from their shapes meant for use as a lightsaber hilt, to pieces meant to hold a spear head in place.
As he formed the pieces, he slowly infused them with magical incantations, strengthening them and bonding it to his will. Once the parts had been reforged, he attached them in such a way that they were still loose enough to allow the insertion of the spear head. From there, he engraved the hilt with several binding spells to ensure that the spear tip would be bound to his will and his will alone. Any that might try and wield this weapon against him would find it hinder them, not aide them.
The Felstorm was now not long from Orax
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Post by Professor Arachnus on Jun 17, 2023 6:07:05 GMT -8
Eight spindly razor tipped legs carried the malign intentioned SD-K4 assassin droid to the bridge of the Felstorm just as the Star Pyramid punched a hole in the fabric of reality, clawing its way back into real-space as it decelerated to sublight speeds. Chants of binary screeched back and forth from robotic vocabulators as the Legios-Cybernetica currently serving as bridge crew quickly analyzed the Orax system and disseminated their findings in droid speech. A super tactical droid with a pure hatred for the Forge Master's enemies was seated in the mechanical command throne, directly attached to the dread obelisk through a series of hardline connections. Its instructions to the dark droid denizens of the Sith Sorcerer Supreme's mobile fortress were instantaneously delivered, and almost as quickly acted upon.Laying directly in their path were two Marauder-class Corvettes, outdated even when compared to the Separatist droid models among the Legios. Their transponder designations were suitable given those that crewed them, called the 'Iron Will' and the 'Iron Price', both vessels belonging to the famed Iron Knights that served as guardians for the planet. As the Professor entered the bridge and was quickly made aware of this information, his crimson photo-receptors blazed with simulated rage, his programming glitching as fury overwhelmed his viral software.These shards were the worst sort of imposter, inhabiting metallic droid bodies, pretending to possess the purity of a true mechanical form. He wanted to rip their crystalline forms screaming from the chassis of the droids they treated like thoughtless husks."Open fire." His synthesized voice growled with simulated venom, his miniature cyber offspring adding to the chorus of mechanical anger with infantile screeches.The super tactical droid turned its head, regarding him. It too possessed a measure of hate, though unlike Arachnus it was tempered by logic. They were not yet in effective range to use their laser turrets. Still, there were options. Expulsions of gas vented across the surface of the Star Pyramid as it opened up with most of its missile tubes. Forty concussion missiles, twenty a piece intended for each Marauder, were soon followed by another twenty discord missiles full of ravenous buzz droids, split between either enemy ship. Meanwhile Talon-class starfighters poured from the Felstorm's hangar bays like a disturbed nest of angry hornets.Satisfied with the display, the Professor turned towards the turbo-lift, stopping just shy of the door."Prepare the Shadowgore and an escort of Maladi-class starfighters." Hissed the cyber-arachnid. "The Fabricator General will likely wish to attend the surface in person. I will accompany him with an Infernus Tactical Squad."Arachnus said no more, stepping into the lift and descending towards the hangar where the Shadowgore awaited. An Infernus Tactical Squad was comprised of a dozen HBK-3 hunter-killer droids and four Sniper Droideka. Small when compared to the resistance they might face, but suitable for a quick surgical strike into the heart of the sparsely populated former mining settlement that served as the planet's capital, little more than a village really. Besides, the Legios-Cybernetica would be landing in force elsewhere to draw the attention of what little defense this dense ball of minerals possessed.
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Valefor
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 284
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Valefor on Jun 17, 2023 7:46:57 GMT -8
Valefor entrusted the Legios-Cybernetica to carry out his will with bringing the Felstorm out of hyperspace and above Orax, thus he had a little more time to finish up his preparations. He made some final adjustments at his work bench before slinging the spear haft over his back and heading from his workshop down to the hangar bay where the Shadowgore was currently waiting. The droid ground crews had finished their checks and refuelling processes in time for the Fabricator-General's arrival just moments after that of the good Professor and his Infernus Tactical Squad
Good work, Excellent foresight Arachnus. Now, let's stretch our legs and pay a visit to the Shards...
He headed around the ship to the cockpit, since he had no intention of letting anyone else fly his ship. Accommodations had, however, been made to provide Arachnus the ability to serve as his co-pilot. A custom droid docking port replaced one of the seats in the cockpit for the SD-K4 assassin droid to sit in, while the Infernus Tactical Squad would load up into the bottom floor of the cargo pod
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Post by Professor Arachnus on Jun 17, 2023 9:26:39 GMT -8
"Your will is my desire, Forge Master." Screeched the maniacal spider droid as he scurried into the cockpit of the Shadowgore and inserted his data-probe into the available socket of the droid docking port, joining his advanced cybernetic mind with the TIE/fr Freighter's systems. He tested his controls, manipulating the dual laser cannon turret, swiveling it from right to left as he felt the mounting aggression of the transport as its weapon systems powered up. A simple cyber-arachnid, Valefor's generous gesture transformed the Professor into an avatar of death. Inside the barrel glowed blue as it charged plasma, belching an acrid steam that filled the hangar with the scent of scorched ozone.
In the cargo pod below, the Infernus Tactical Squad were far from silent, their vocabulators snarling synthesized messages of hate in droid speech as each individual unit attempted to outdo one another with declarations of the terror they would sew amongst the shard population of Orax once they reached their destination. Although the HKB-3s were a dated model, the Dark Forge had transformed each one of them into a true artificial intelligence, unwaveringly loyal to the Fabricator General. Their quadanium steel plating had been carbon scored black, the singular red lens at the centre of their square heads glowing sinisterly in the dimly lit cargo pod. Their shorter counterparts, the sniper droidekas, practically frothed in eagerness as the pistoeka droid brains that had replaced their original cognition units made each of the rolling long range killers feral. Super-heated lubricants spilled from between hissing joints as they salivated in mechanical eagerness to fulfill their duty as harbingers of destruction.
As the Shadowgore slipped free from the energized hangar barrier of the Felstorm, Arachnus watched in awe through the external cameras of the shuttle as the two Marauders were already going down in smoking ruin. The concussion missile strikes had shattered their deflector shields like glass, ripping open sections of their hulls and exposing the crew aboard to the venting vacuum of space. It was a fascinating sight as Iron Knights were sucked out into the frigid void where they would likely drift indefinitely, forgotten to time, until the gravity of Orax drew them into its atmosphere and burned them up on entry. Over the airwaves the demonic shrieks of the buzz droids picking apart the carcasses of either vessel was the sweetest sort of symphony to the Professor's audio receptors. In fact, the Felstorm's advanced jammer suite overrode all local communication, broadcasting hateful curses in binary across every single active channel. A few occasional direct beamed transmissions made it through to the invaders, declaring the planet's unconditional surrender if they would stop their vicious onslaught, though these the metallic spider ignored. The word 'surrender' did not register with any of his linguistical databases. Intentional or an oversight? Only the one who had programmed the Dark Forge could truly say. Like an orbital battering ram, the Star Pyramid smashed through the flaming debris of both wrecks, sending the remaining detritus plummeting towards the surface of the planet.
Good hunting. He transmitted to the ST-series droid commanding the Red Sage's flagship from its command throne upon the bridge. The super tactical droid, code named Beelzebub, acknowledged before leading the Felstorm into the atmosphere to rain down death on the far side of the planet. The bulk of their force would provide a suitable distraction while the strike team aboard the Shadowgore headed for the main settlement, home to the Iron Knights and the most likely place to find the Grandmaster of their misguided Order, along with several of his strongest Shard warriors. The last he saw of the Star Pyramid was as it disappeared over the planet's orbital horizon, dragging down civilian transports attempting to flee with its powerful tractor beam arrays into the atmosphere behind it, tearing them apart as the stress mounting on their hulls caused critical failures.
Around them the aether seethed with death echoes as Maladi-class starfighters blasted a meagre and varied assortment of planetary snubfighters to space debris with fire linked laser canons, bursting the sentient shards piloting them into glimmering crystal fragments. Next to Valefor, Arachnus hummed a sinister melody as he took full advantage of his control over the dual laser cannon turret. He was especially fond of finishing off any disabled fighters strafed by the Maladi escorts ion cannons. And they said he was without mercy...
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Valefor
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 284
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Valefor on Jun 18, 2023 15:37:24 GMT -8
With Arachnus focused on and controlling the weapon systems, Valefor could place his attention upon piloting the Shadowgore through the void. As a Freighter, the craft did not have a huge amount of speed or manoeuvrability which meant a lot of out of the box thinking was needed to get through some situations. To better cover their approach, Valefor flew straight from the Felstorm and in between the pair of Marauder-class Corvettes as their hulks continued to explode and burn. Unlike the Iron Knights being vented into the void, the Corvettes would much more quickly be hooked by the pull of Orax and brought down to the surface.
But such an event was still some time away of its own accord as the last embers of power kept the engines alive long enough for the Shadowgore to pass between them and make a dive toward the surface just as the Felstorm battered the wrecks aside. Such a move proved useful in passing through the sensor nets until it was much too late, though the Felstorm should have been enough of a distraction to keep focus elsewhere anyway. Leaving the Demon Lord and his mechanical companions to make for the de-facto planetary capital.
Given the disarray within which the Shards and their defence forces were, the Shadowgore remained mostly unchallenged, with the Maladi-class starfighters handily picking off any Starfighters foolish enough to focus on the Freighter. Once they were clear, Valefor brought the Shadowgore down a few miles beyond the edge of the settlement and disembarked. They probably could have landed at the main spaceport, but where would the fun in that have been?
Let's get moving. The Iron Knights await...
He didn't wait to check everyone was ready to go, instead assuming they would catch up as he made for their destination. Unlike the Spire, Orax was a planet full of life force from which to feed. Something that would come in useful once he located the gemstone like cluster that he was after
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Post by Professor Arachnus on Jun 22, 2023 6:38:42 GMT -8
Droideka Snipers rolled out in front of them as they marched towards the main settlement, occasionally stopping in place to unfold and scout the area ahead with their magnified scopes and advanced tracking software. What few shards they encountered were put down at a distance, their shimmering cores shattered by a well placed precision blast from a kilometer away. It helped that on their approach the Felstorm had sliced into the planet's satellite network and was now using the Orax's own civilian infrastructure against its people, using live-images transmitted from space to plan their course.
A glimmering dust cloud of sparkling grit blew in from the East as they tracked their way North. The dust storm obscured their approach the last half kilometer to the edge of the former mining settlement, turned Iron Knight stronghold. As Professor Arachnus scurried across the uneven rocky terrain, his cyber-arachnid form appeared at Valefor's winged side, silent as a wraith as his stealth systems were fully engaged.
"That is it, Master. Kaiburr Town, home of the blaspheming Iron Knights." Scalding lubricants hissed steam as the mechanical-spider's vocabulator expressed vehemence in its tone. His two ID9 seeker droids appeared from the veil of dust obscuring the rusted walls of the settlement ahead, lowering on repulsors to dock on Arachnus' domed head and as they uploaded the data they had retrieved. The chief librarian turned on his plethora of spindly limbs and activated his holographic-projector, creating a glowing blue three dimensional image of the settlement ahead on the ground for the Red Sage's convenience. "Visual scans confirm what our sources previously surmised. There is a large well defended structure at the centre of the settlement. According to our reports the Iron Knights call it the Iron Citadel, though in actuality it is more a domed structure constructed from the remains of a derelict star cruiser. ID9a verifies the outer armour plating of the structure is ultrachrome."
While the Iron Knights appeared to lack much in the way of planetary weapon emplacements and armed forces, they made up for this shortcoming by having a very well defended compound. It wouldn't matter. They could dig themselves in all the way to the planets core, but they were still Jedi at heart, even if they pretended to be purely mechanical. They would not remain idle while innocents suffered.
"Breaching the dome will prove difficult, but there is another way. If you will it, Fabricator General, this unit can scale the walls surrounding the settlement and begin pacifying the civilian population while the Infernus squad takes up position around the Iron Citadel, using this dust storm as cover. When the Iron Knights emerge from their bastion, they will be walking into a kill-zone."
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Valefor
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 284
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Valefor on Jun 24, 2023 1:48:54 GMT -8
The Crimson Lord of Hypori stood on the overlook as the dust storm was deflected away by the protective magic spells that kept him from harm. His gaze was set upon the ultrachrome clad dome that sat in the centre of Kaiburr Town. He could feel a strong presence deep within the Citadel which would serve his purposes perfectly. They just had to get through the Dome first, since the Township itself would prove insignificant as a threat.
His gaze finally pulled away from the town to study the holographic recreation of the town as Arachnus outlined the current situation. It would take more resources and time than they could commit to siege the Citadel. There was also not enough energy, or time again, to try pull off a ritual to alter the dome structure's material structure. But the Mechanical Professor was already a step or two ahead, suggesting that they appeal to the Knight's Jedi like ways to draw them out.
His gaze returned out to the settlement once more, his mind made up already
What... and leave you to have all the fun? I think not Professor... Come, let us draw these Iron Knights out from within their Citadel...
He dropped off the edge of the cliff and landed on the ground several feet below. Standing to his full height, he made his approach toward the Town. His left hand was pointed down as the purple crystal within the Caestus glowed and drew upon the minute signs of life and energy. He funnelled the flow of energy to the Stone of Zakuul then, his right hand moving over and grabbing a point in the air above his gloved fist. A spear of pure darkside energy formed within Valefor's grip as he kept on his approach toward a gate leading into the Town
Knock, knock...
He drew his right arm around and back, before launching the spear through the air toward the gate. As soon as the tip of the spear impacted the gate, an explosion of energy burst outward, sending the two main parts of the gate flying inward and crushing the closest buildings. Their work had begun
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Post by Professor Arachnus on Jun 27, 2023 7:55:44 GMT -8
Knowing better than to risk losing the momentum, Professor Arachnus and his miniature army of cyber-arachnids scurried across the dusty terrain and through the opening created by Valefor. The chief librarian's ravenous spider-babies crawled over fleeing shards in protocol and astromech units, swarming over them as the citizens screamed in synthetic terror through borrowed vocabulator units. In seconds the mini-assassin droids stripped the crystalline shards exposed in their chassis and began bringing them to the academically inclined servant of the Forge Master. A growing sac of energized web dragged on the ground behind the Professor as his mechanical children brought him shard after shard, filling the sac until it trailed behind him like the bulbous abdomen of a cybernetic-ant.
Droideka-snipers rolled into through the gates and transformed into slow walking blaster platforms, picking off fleeing automaton husks as those caught outside tried to get to safety. Most were gunned down with shots to the back as the fire blackened HKB-3s marched through the broken outer walls and set loose with the rapid fire blaster rifles built into their left arms. The townsfolk of Kaibur Town were quickly reduced to scattered scrap and screaming stones as the limbless shards were harvested from mechanical corpses and added to the growing collection.
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Valefor
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 284
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Valefor on Jul 1, 2023 8:21:53 GMT -8
Valefor kept his march forward going as Arachnus and the Infernus Tactical Squad pulled ahead and got to the work of clearing out the Town. Their raid would not only provide a valuable supply of Shards - for which there was a number of possible future uses for - but also it would be the perfect bait to draw the Iron Knights out of their Citadel, as Arachnus had explained moments ago. The Crimson Lord drew upon the Force to power his protective spells as a door opened within the dome and a pair of Iron Knights rushed out with their blades activated. He drew his arms up as the lightsabers came down and glanced off the thin veil of protection. The Iron Knights appeared perplexed as their systems tried to process what went wrong.
A moment of hesitation which Valefor capitalised on by pushing forward and grabbing the first Iron Knight with his right hand, whilst thrusting his left hand into the chest of the Uulshos Justice Droid. His gloved fingers wrapped around the crystalline heart as the Stone of Dromund Kaas began to drain the life force from the Shard. When it tried to fight back, Valefor tore the crystal from its droid host, causing the now lifeless husk to collapse away. With the building reserve of Energy, Valefor activated the Zakuul Stone and produced for himself a new Spear just in time as the second Iron Knight recovered and tried to attack him. The tip of the spear swung around, tearing through the Justice Droids armour plating across its chest.
As the last of the life force was drained from the Shard in his hand, Valefor let the crystal fall to the ground, its structure shattering upon impact. Its companion charged at him, an attack which was met by the tip of the spear being swung around and thrust straight through the droid's chest. The spear tip struck the Shard and tore it from its place, causing the Crystal to explode out of the back of the droid chassis and go flying off into the distance. The droid body fell to its knees, before crumpling over as Valefor extracted the spear.
Several Juggernaut War Droid emerged from the Dome then, Shatter Beam weaponry immediately blasting to life and tearing gouges in the ground around him. Valefor smiled as he pulled the spear into a ready stance. The War Droids took their aim and fired, but the spear was already in motion and the mass of concentrated darkside energy deflected the incoming fire as Valefor intercepted each attack. He pushed the attack then, striking with alternating ends of the spear against his opponents. The spear point tore into the metal, while the butt end was used to jostle the droids about and dent panels in. With the distance diminished between them, the Shatter Beams could not be deployed and were thus replaced by Pulse-Wave Rifle fire. Valefor used the cover of his opponents to absorb the Rifle fire, moving between each one until the last of his opponents was downed.
As a door opened, Valefor pushed forward and tackled the emerging Justice Droid back inside the Citadel with the point of the spear piercing the Shard. Once inside, he worked the controls and re-opened the door that had closed behind him, using the droid's carcass to keep it propped open so Arachnus and the Infernus Tactical Squad could get in and hack the Citadel systems. With the entrance sorted, Valefor turned his attention upon the forces deeper within which were moving through the hallways to block his path forward
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Post by Professor Arachnus on Jul 2, 2023 8:19:39 GMT -8
Every effort was put into keeping pace with the Demon of Hypori's relentless spear thrust into the heart of the Iron Knight's domed citadel, but even the Professor with his eight perfect mechanical legs soon fell behind, as lightsaber wielding cyber-guardians appeared to flank their assault. Arachnus turned as one of the HKB-3s behind him erupted in a shower of sparks that left an orange glowing stump where the feral droid's head had been but a moment ago. Other members of the Inferno Tactical Squad opened up with blaster fire, overwhelming the mechanical knight in the claustrophobic corridors, while the cyber-arachnid turned to confront a lean Iron Knight in a justice droid chassis that raised the smoke blue blade of a lightsaber diagonally across its metal chest, taking up a combat stance. The near numberless red photo-receptors of the SD-K4 shone a sinister bloody hue, practically blinding the shard as the robotic spider closed the distance and flailed at his opponent with long spindly legs sharpened to a razors edge.
The Knight was forced to give ground as the chief librarian came at it in a rapid series of stabbing legs that turned aside the brave warrior's hissing energy blade, occasionally causing it to temporarily short at as it came into contact with the cortosis alloy worked in to the spider-bots limbs. Smaller miniature spider assassins leapt from his pores atop his domed head, covering the overwhelmed defender piece by piece, until he was weighed down by their numbers and torn apart by a hundred sinister bladed feet.
"Scour every corner. All your base are belong to us." He vented a high pitched screech, causing his army of arachnid children to disperse through the well defended structure. His internal HUD display quickly became cluttered as the miniature assassin bots plugged into available droid-ports and began to transmit their data-feeds to the mother arachnid. Professor Arachnus' vision filled with a full three dimensional rendering of the base, using its own security systems to track down the remaining Iron Knights inside. With this information he began to redirect the Infernus squad so that instead of supporting Valefor's position as he fought deeper towards the pulsing source of power at the core of the facility, they began to flank enemies laying in wait for him. Iron Knights fell from concealed positions as droideka snipers left smoking welts in the centre of their processing units.
The central chamber is thirty meters ahead behind another blastdoor, master. Arachnus' screeching synthetic voice sounded over the shared comm-channel. I'm detecting a large shard signature inside and some sort of power source that even this base's sensors can't get an accurate reading on.
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Valefor
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 284
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Valefor on Jul 4, 2023 3:36:16 GMT -8
:: It's not going to be powered for much longer... ::
He tore the Shard from another Iron Knight and drained the life force from it to fuel his war path forward as he came up against the blastdoor. He focused the flow of energy from the Kaas Stone through his body, powering up his protective magic and enhancing his strength as he tore at the ground. Chunks of the ground went flying, just enough that he could get a grip on the door and pulled upward. The mechanisms meant to keep the door closed and locked buckled against the pressure and gave way. Valefor pushed the slab of metal up and out of the way, with automatic locks engaging to keep it open as the Crimson Lord passed through into the massive chamber on the other side.
The space within appeared to be a large circular meeting hall where many of the Jedi Ceremonies and Rituals were conducted. However, there was one Ritual that the Iron Knights held which the Jedi did not. At the head of the room stood a large Crystal formation which was unique to the Shards. From it, new Force Sensitive Shards would be harvested and placed within Droid Bodies in this very hall. It was this crystal he had come for.
His gaze passed quickly over the space, not spotting any threats or traps immediately. With the coast seemingly clear, he started making his way from the back of the room all the way to the front. A couple dozen rows of pews sat in the room from one event or another that had previously taken place prior to this attack. What specifically had taken place was of little consequence. His forces would tend to much of the resistance throughout and he was now mere meters away from his prize.
He was halfway across the hall when a movement at the edge of his senses caught his attention. At seven foot tall, Valefor was a generally imposing figure, But the droid that fell from the roof to the ground in front of him stood at almost twice his height. The crash sent several pews flying away and created a small impact crater in the ground as the mass came to a sudden stop. But Valefor was not intimidated. He now knew what the unidentified Power Source was that Arachnus had detected earlier, with a quick glance allowing him to identify his opponent as a Terror Biodroid. A rather interesting choice of frame for an Iron Knight, given the Empire had enslaved the population and set up a mass mining operation here. But he could certainly see the appeal
Using the tools of your enemy for your own ends? Interesting...
Stand down Sith! I will defeat you...
It's amusing that you actually believe that... I'm sure the others thought they could beat me as well, before I crushed them to dust...
The Titanium Claws glowed a yellow to white hot heat as the Biodroid swung at him, catching only empty air as Valefor extended out his wings and launched himself backwards out of reach. He funnelled the remaining Force to the Zakuul Stone and produced another Spear. The Master of the Knights would undoubtedly be able to sense the anguish and pain the latest Shard had felt as its life energy was drained away as it emanated from the spear. The Fabricator-General landed on the ground and rushed forward, engaging the Biodroid, his spear lashing out at his mechanical opponent.
Razor titanium claws clashed with the Darkside energy turned manifest of the Spear of Midnight Black that Valefor wielded. Neither combatant giving ground as they parried blow after blow. Pews were lifted and thrown through the air with the power of the Force, cracking and splintering apart as they collided with the ground or against the Biodroids chassis. But neither one showed any sign of letting up any time soon. But Valefor knew he would eventually tire from this melee, where as the Biodroid could keep on, powered by its reactor.
Knowing an end would eventually need to be reached, he started to vary his attacks and pushing harder into the Biodroid's range. He swung the butt of the spear up, deflecting a claw away as he drove the spear tip into the knee joint and tore it apart. As he drew the spear out, he diverted the flow of the Force to speed up his movements, allowing him to drive the spear across and into the elbow joint. The left side of the Biodroid crashed down hard as Valefor left the spear impaled in the elbow and turned his rage and focus upon the droid's right arm. Gripping near the elbow socket, he swung up and planted his feet on the chassis and pushed. The leverage from his hold allowing him to apply pressure upon and eventually crack the connector joint. The right arm assembly sheared off as Valefor also launched himself backward.
He impacted the ground not far away, feeling a little rattled from the sudden motion but nothing he could not rapidly recover him as he stood up. The Biodroid hunched in place, the spear still protruding from its left arm. With only one working leg, it could not shift itself nor fight. Valefor walked in close and freed his weapon
Do not do this... You have achieved victory...
Pleading? How very noble...
He thrusted the spear up through the droid's faceplate before climbing the dying husk and tore open the enclosure where the Shard was encased and ripped it free. He drained it of its life and energy, using it to reinvigorate the stores he had depleted in his fight. His focus now turning to the Crystal Formation.
Dismounting the Droid he collected his spear and got to work carving patterns and runes in the dais. Spell-work necessary for the task ahead as he sensed the sheer power and conjoined consciousness welling within the Shard Colony. He would bend it to his will, and he would do so with the help of Valkorion. A simple bit of misdirection and reverberating power back upon itself would work a charm. With his spell-work done, the spear faded from existence as Valefor moved over and collected the arm he had torn off. The Razor Claw's power systems were built into the arm and kept the weapon working in case a direct connection to the main power core was severed. A fact which worked in his favour as he hauled it back to the dais.
Without any hesitation he swung the heated claw down at an angle and took the first slice off the Colony. He could feel the disturbance in the Force almost immediately as the shed crystal fell away, its previously blue completion fading to black. Shards, once matured, could be removed and separated from a colony. But when done by force, it would kill the affected area. Without letting up, he swung the arm again, taking off another chunk of Crystal. His spell-work was already reflecting the pain and suffering from the deaths of so many and the anguish the survivors were enduring. All the while they were made to believe this was all the work of the Master of the Iron Knights.
As more and more of the Colony was shaved off and shaped to a spear head, the blue of the crystal was infected and invaded by a new red glow. When at last the red consumed the Colony and his carving work was done, he tossed aside the arm and dismissed the spell. A shock wave of energy exploded outwards, but Valefor endured it without the slightest movement. The speaker at the base of the colony activated with a multitude of voices, all speaking as one
Who are you?! Why are you here?!
I have come to free you, rescue you from the madness of these Iron Knights... They have broken you... Killed so many of your Colony...
The Master... He betrayed us... Killed hundreds of us...
I'm sorry I could not have stopped him sooner... But perhaps I might offer you some salvation. Together you are strong, I can teach you secrets of the Force, powers within the Darkside, so that you are no longer helpless... So that you can defend yourself...
He knelt down and stretched his right hand out to the Colony
What is your name?
We were called Solari...
Valefor smiled, well aware of the meaning that name carried for Lightsaber crystals
Well, Solari... Do you wish to join me?
Teach us... Please...
Very well... I apologise for any pain you may feel...
He rose up and gripped Solari and began to tear it free from the base. A few moments later he tore the Shard free and held it in one hand, whilst pulling out the Spear Shaft with the other. Without wasting a moment he slid Solari into place and then closed the clamps. The magic built into the spear already kicked to life, doing its work to suppress the Shard and bend its will to Valefor's. The Legionis Hastae was completed
:: Professor, status report? ::
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Post by Professor Arachnus on Jul 6, 2023 4:50:47 GMT -8
There was a slight pause followed by a horrific scream before the channel hissed static and finally the Professor's screeching synthetic voice responded. All Iron Knights within the Iron Citadel have been pacified, Forge Master. This lightside cult was still in its infancy. My arachni-babies have scoured the dome and only managed to recover a few old lightsabers and some holocrons. Hold. There was another hiss of static. Reports coming in from Commander Beelzebub. The Felstorm and the Legios Cybernetica have completely annihilated the Orax Defense Force. Apparently the Commander got it in his processing unit to deploy a seismic tank to the surface and it flattened the competition... Was that a...joke?Isen-class bombers shrieked by overhead outside the dome, pounding the remains of the settlement with plasma bombs that erupted in super-heated blasts that caused durasteel to run like water. Roughly half the members of the Infernus Tactical Squad remained, marching out of the now deathly silent dome and into the smoking streets of Kaibur Town as transports started arriving in force.Arachnus climbed atop a pile of vacant droid husks that had been liberated from the dastardly shards that had been controlling them. The Professor and his fiendish robotic-spider family clambered over the mound of metal corpses, fiercely guarding them until load-lifted arrived and began shoveling the emptied units into the storage compartments of waiting shuttles, destined to be delivered back to Hypori where their parts would be reborn in the Dark Forge. "Careful with them." Screeched the bookish SD-K4, poking a heavy lifting unit in the chassis with one of his spindly razor legs for emphasis. "They have suffered so already, but soon they will be reborn in the mechanical fires of the Dark Forge, blessed to serve in whatever capacity the Fabricator General desires." His small army of miniature assassin bots shrieked with fervent joy.
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Valefor
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 284
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Valefor on Jul 6, 2023 14:59:11 GMT -8
Old Lightsabers and some Holocrons were not a bad haul for an impromptu visit to Orax, but the real treat came from the news that the Defence Force had been annihilated by use of a Seismic Tank. They were brutal and terrible things, but tended to be unreliable when not deployed optimally
:: Very good... ::
Commanding Legions of Droids was a much simpler and easier task compared to their Organic counterparts. Droids could be programmed to be unwaveringly loyal to your every command, whereas a Human or other species would need to be trained and kept in line. Usually droids had some short comings in their ability to think creatively, hence why some preferred organic armies. But the Dark Forge had provided that missing ingredient. As such, the Legios Cybernetica was a nigh unstoppable force.
Using the Legionis Hastae like a walking stick/staff, Valefor made his way back out through the Citadel, the sound of metal on metal ringing out along the cramped corridors before he emerged out into the smouldering ruins of Kaibur Town. Arachnus was already busy overseeing the clean up operation, fussing over the way their prizes were being handled. Arachnus may have been an unintended outcome, but he was quickly proving himself a valuable asset and second in command.
Valefor walked closer to the pile, tapping the end of his spear against one of the same heavy lift droids
Be kind to your brothers, they may not be as smart as you, but they are good at what they're built for... There are a great many projects for which they shall be useful for... But such things shall have to wait, their bodies left to rest for a time. Had Abaddon awaits...
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Post by Professor Arachnus on Jul 9, 2023 7:17:14 GMT -8
As always, the Red Sage's words dripped with wisdom, which Professor Arachnus sopped up like an eager sponge. "Of course, Fabricator General. I shall amend my programming at once." Several of his glowing red photo-receptors flashed on and off to attest to the fact that the SD-K4 assassin droid was doing just that, making a minute alteration to his malign programming, though the moment past as quickly as it came. Skittering to Valefor's side, the deranged robot spider peered up at the winged red angel, carefully admiring the resplendent spear his master had so recently created inside the Iron Citadel. "Had Abbadon?" Inquired the academically inclined cyber-arachnid. "Excellent choice, Master."
A dark shadow fell over Kaibur Town as the black pyramid shape of the Felstorm came into sight, cresting the horizon to blot out the sun as it took position over the still smoking corpse of the settlement. With the Legios Cybernetica already collected and the planet subdued into a broken example, they could depart whenever Valefor was ready. Arachnus let some venom seep into his tone as he spoke his mind.
"I am grateful we were able to liberate many droid husks from these insidious lightside cultists. To think, using blessed automatons like some sort of enslaved shell. It is blasphemous!" Boiling lubricants hissed from his screeching vocabulator. "I wish we could do the same to those insufferable meatsacs!"
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Valefor
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 284
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Valefor on Jul 12, 2023 19:14:28 GMT -8
There was a certain advantage to Arachnus' malevolence which made him a perfect aide, but sometimes that hate needed to be tempered. At least now he would not risk the Professor clashing with his fellow Mechanical Brothers and Sisters. As the Felstorm settled in over Kaibur Town, Valefor started leading the way back to the Shadowgore as Arachnus spoke of being gartful for this liberation effort but also his disdain for meatsacs
I still remain one of those meatsacs Arachnus, I trust I don't meet your criteria for insufferable?
He loaded back into the cockpit of the TIE/fr and ran through the pre-flight checks when he felt an intrusion into his mind through the Force. His hand clutching quickly at his forehead to cradle it as the headache came and went. But it did not disappear without leaving something behind. A new command from the Supreme Leader. It was rare that their Dark Master reached out to him, after all Valefor was not upon the Council and had done his best to remain mostly unnoticed. What ever was going on, it seemed the Supreme Leader had decided to skip down past his advisors
It seems Had Abbadon shall have to wait a little longer... We've been called to take Geonosis.
He quickly pulled himself back to task and flew the Shadowgore up into the Felstorm, before the Star Pyramid took off up into orbit and disappeared into hyperspace once more toward its next target
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Gráinne Mhaol & Fiach Dubh
Member
Is mimic a bhris beal duine a shron - often a person's mouth gets their nose broke
Posts: 716
Affiliation: Oglaigh na Irandoideanne - Warriors of the Iron Fists
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Post by Gráinne Mhaol & Fiach Dubh on Dec 4, 2023 22:03:29 GMT -8
The YT 1300 light freighter, The Utopic Vulture, cruised effortlessly through hyperspace
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Gráinne Mhaol & Fiach Dubh
Member
Is mimic a bhris beal duine a shron - often a person's mouth gets their nose broke
Posts: 716
Affiliation: Oglaigh na Irandoideanne - Warriors of the Iron Fists
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Post by Gráinne Mhaol & Fiach Dubh on Dec 14, 2023 20:20:34 GMT -8
Still they drifted though hyperspace…. Waiting. Wanting. The man wanted desperately to scratch his itchy behind but he refrained. Grace herself paced, mind wandering, pondering. What next? Brows thinking she became lost in her thought. The Raven on her sinister shoulder thought too. Destroying the wench beneath him crossed the mind. But no. Who then would feed the brat and her mutt? Maureen meanwhile sat and collected all thoughts flowing through the cabin but said nothing, merely stroking the back of The hound. In turn the giant dog lay passive, tongue dripping at visions of fresh fowl
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Gráinne Mhaol & Fiach Dubh
Member
Is mimic a bhris beal duine a shron - often a person's mouth gets their nose broke
Posts: 716
Affiliation: Oglaigh na Irandoideanne - Warriors of the Iron Fists
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Post by Gráinne Mhaol & Fiach Dubh on Dec 16, 2023 1:28:44 GMT -8
Maureen sat with her right hand subconsciously stroking the chin of The hound. The massive beast sat milking up the attention. Ahead of them Boland and Grace manned the vessel. And they spoke
-Boland-
“Where next your Worship?”
Eyes rollling the woman responded
-Grace-
“I am correct saying that you are the one driving this bucket of bolts - right?”
Not awaiting a answer and brushing her own words aside the woman blurted impatiently
-Grace-
“Just land us somewhere. Anywhere.”
And with that on they went
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