Jace Stealer
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Post by Jace Stealer on Aug 3, 2015 20:53:40 GMT -8
Everything was proceeding smoothly. The LAAT/i's continued their circling of the valley while the commandos breached the tombs. The squad in the valley held their positions, ready to send reinforcements where they were needed. The squads on the perimeter of the valley kept a careful eye on the skies, the surrounding horizon and nearby land features. 1st Lieutenant Rao'Lin continued to listen to the idle chatter of his squads and the circling LAAT/i's while keeping an eye on Rutil as he made his way to the academy.
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The Shepherd
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Post by The Shepherd on Aug 3, 2015 22:05:04 GMT -8
A group of Felucian soldiers, knowing communication would be vital on this mission (and that communication was not their commanding officer's strong suit, judging from his stony face and stoic vocal tone), had taken the liberty of setting up a comlink receiver not too far from the base camp. The soldiers themselves, having little to do now that the Emerald Blades had opted to take the watch, huddled around the receiver, smoking and joking as they waited on word from the squads inside the terrifying graves of the Sith Lords of old.
They did not have to wait long.
Squad B reporting in, all clear.
Squad C, all good here.
This is Squad A, tomb is clear.
This is Squad D, all clear.
There was a pause. There was one squad yet to report in. But after what felt like an eternity of silence, the growling voice of the Jedi that led them to this Force-forsaken world came across the air.
Squad E is good. Roll them in.
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Jace Stealer
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Post by Jace Stealer on Aug 4, 2015 14:40:33 GMT -8
1st Lieutenant Rao'Lin gave the signal to the crew members as the all clear came in. With four men to each load, they carted the gravcarts into each tomb and the academy. The staleness of the air hung like a sickness in the halls as they moved through, pushing the natural uneasiness of Korriban from their minds and concentrating on the mission. Upon reaching the designated rooms, they placed them in position and deactivated the gravcarts. With them resting on the floor, the crew members went to work arming them.
After several minutes, the crews made their way out of the tombs and back to the ship. The team in the academy lingered a moment longer, prepping a second device. A moment later, Warrant Officer Calid handed Rutil a small controller with three covered switches. He nodded to the device as the rest of crew left the academy. "Flip the switches left to right, last one detonates the charge." With that said he turned and made his way back to the ship, leaving Rutil and his squads to conclude their business.
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The Shepherd
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Post by The Shepherd on Aug 4, 2015 17:26:30 GMT -8
Rutil followed closely behind the lieutenant, his business within the academy pyramid concluded. The detonator in his hand throbbed and pulsed, begging to be activated, begging for the Valley of the Dark Lords to be reduced to rubble. The bombs themselves, though deeply entombed within the antechambers of various grave sites and the pyramid proper, radiated with an energy that called out to the Jedi every bit as loudly as the detonator asking him to unleash it. And while he was in no danger of prematurely setting off the several tons of themobaric weaponry now lining the Valley of the Dark Lords, Rutil had a hungry look to him that would only be washed from his stony face when he saw the explosion from orbit.
At least until he reached the base camp, where he was just in time to catch a broadcast from above.
This is Hoser, one of the Skipray pilots from orbit called out, we've got one going to the ground team. StealthX from what we saw. Stay sharp.
Rutil stopped cold, clapping the lieutenant on the shoulder, gently but firmly halting his movement as well. "Lieutenant," Rutil spoke, his green eyes not once leaving the darkening skies as night finally began to fall, "have this interloper dealt with as soon as your men see him. But if he decides to approach on foot, leave him to me."
With a curt nod, Rutil made his way towards the boarding ramp of the Spearhead and called out for Captain Marris. Less than a minute later, the CR90's dorsal guns were all primed and swiveling, each gunner scanning the skies for a hint of the stranger headed their way. Outside the vessel, the Felucian soldiers posted up anywhere they could find cover, ignoring their collective unease and sharpening their eyes as a possible threat came at them from above.
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Jace Stealer
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Post by Jace Stealer on Aug 4, 2015 18:27:03 GMT -8
The lieutenant stopped as his shoulder was clasped turning and nodding to Rutil. He thought for a moment as the Jedi gave him the specifics, nodding to confirm. "Understood sir. We'll hold that ship at bay. If he approaches on foot, we'll start to pull our perimeter for demobilization. He'll be all yours." With that said, he made his way back to the CR25, motioning for the squad by the statues to fall in on him. Activating his headset, he glanced at the LAAT/i's as he walked.
Alpha Actual to all Alpha squads, we've got a contact inbound. Airborne vessel identified as a StealthX, do you copy? Over.
After a brief pause where he listened to the confirmation of his squad, he continued.
Instructions are as followed: Eliminate target if he approaches by air, let limited ground troops from the vessel pass if they land. Out.
Rao'Lin arrived to the CR25, watching as they finished loading up the vessel and prepped it for takeoff.
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Post by Aeryn Morningstar on Aug 5, 2015 8:46:48 GMT -8
Aeryn makes it to the valley, of the dark lords, his skin begins to crawl as the darkside trickles over him. Focusing on the task at hand, Aeryn does not let the darkside distract him from his mission. taking out his collapsible micro binoculars, he scans the valley for signs of Iorek. Staying hidden in a small outcropping above the valley floor, Aeryn waits...and waits, every few minutes taking another scan of the valley floor below. keeping himself hidden from the ships flying above, Aeryn mixes his force presence with the darkness around him in hopes that if anyone was alerted to his arrival already, they wouldn't be able to pin point him out in the force. From his vantage point, Aeryn watches several armed teams exit the tombs, *Interesting* he thinks to himself. Zooming in, he can see to men standing just apart from the combat squads...That must be him. Aeryn captures a visual and runs it through the data on his data pad. Aeryn grins as he gets the confirmation green and puts away the binoculars.
Aeryn encodes a message to Sypher and sends it to the astromech droid. Giving his counterpart his coordinates and instructions. If things get heated and they use air support, Aeryn at least knows Sypher will give them some hell in the sky.
Calling on the power of the force, Aeryn funnels force energy into the valley breeze below. The breeze soon turns into a strong wind and the sands of the valley floor begin dust up. As time goes by the winds get stronger and more and more visibility would be lost. Aeryn climbs down from his outcropping and with slight concealment of nature makes his way towards Rutil, and Jace. |
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The Shepherd
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Post by The Shepherd on Aug 7, 2015 12:33:22 GMT -8
Rutil stood his ground as the winds and sands of the valley danced on the strings of their unseen puppeteer, who was doubtlessly making their way towards him. The grizzled old Zabrak was old, a hunter, an investigator, and a Jedi, and all of those epithets meant that the word "coincidence" was foreign to him. Winds suddenly picking up just as he and his were about to get underway? Just after a StealthX was seen making its way to the valley? Piloted by someone that was trying to hide himself in the dark energies of the planet? Sussing out that particular clue wasn't hard, as Rutil had spent his entire adult life hunting down and destroying darksiders wherever they were; light or dark, the Jedi Guardian knew when something was amiss.
The whole attempt was rather adorable. For someone trying to stay hidden, the Windy Wonder was doing a hell of a job of making their presence known.
Of course, if the Windy Wonder's intentions were pure, or his actions legitimate, why not just show up and say hello? Why the theatrics? Why even attempt to stay hidden? Not that it would matter; even if their visual equipment failed, there were still four platoons of twenty-five men ready to open up, filling the Valley of the Dark Lords with blaster fire. But of course, there was a simpler solution already in the works. Why risk the men?
Gentlemen, Rutil said, holding his comlink in one hand and his yet-unlit lightsaber in the other, get onto the ship. Double-time.
And as he felt the men begin to move towards the corvette's boarding ramp, he began to send another message, still unmoving, directed at the newcomer.
You can cut the crap now.
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Post by Aeryn Morningstar on Aug 7, 2015 12:57:47 GMT -8
The winds die down just as quickly as they came to life, the sands settling back to the earth. Lightly clapping his hands, Aeryn walks towards Rutil, he lets out a slight laugh as he approaches his fellow Jedi. Aeryn watches the armed men fall back to the ship, no matter he continues to walk towards Rutil.
"This place is so bland, just stirring things up a bit"
Aeryn stops a few meters from Rutil, he looks the Jedi in the eyes. Even though Aeryn's face almost mocked the situation, his eyes did not.
" I had to make sure it was you...a little theatrics can do wonders to pretenders these days."
Aeryn places his right hand over his heart and bows slightly
" Jedi Aeryn Morningstar, Shadow Intelligence"
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The Shepherd
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Post by The Shepherd on Aug 7, 2015 13:12:05 GMT -8
"Really."
Rutil's body held none of the amusement or mockery that Morningstar displayed. Barring a slow motion to remove the hood from his head, revealing his scarred, wrinkled visage and the broken horn he was famous among younglings for, Rutil was as still as the gargoyle so many of his peers called him behind his back. Rutil had never even heard of this guy, or of Shadow Intelligence for that matter. And why did he feel the need to make sure that the Zabrak Jedi was who he was? The Guardian knew he was probably in some database or another somewhere in the galaxy, and if the stranger could "make sure it was you", as he put it, then he was either a Jedi or someone who had access to their archives. Either way, not an immediate threat.
Keyword being immediate.
"What do you want? And you've clearly come here to get it. Why?"
Between his gravelly tone, his hardened features, and a glare that could melt durasteel, Rutil made it clear that Morningstar had exactly one chance to make his explanation a good one. Given the time between the call-out and their meeting, the Skiprays had doubtlessly found his precious StealthX by now, and were just waiting on the word to reduce it to slag. Which, considering what groundwork had already been laid, would be the least of Morningstar's concerns.
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Post by Aeryn Morningstar on Aug 7, 2015 14:00:46 GMT -8
Aeryn puts both hands up at chest level in a don't shoot posture. He meets Rutil's stare and raises his right eyebrow slightly. The man was all business that much Aeryn could tell, so no point in pleasantries.
" You get right to it don't you"
Aeryn slowly reaches into the inner pocket of his dark grey robe with his left hand and pulls out a data pad. He tosses it to Rutil, on the data pad was a picture of Darth Andor and some basic information on the Sith.
"I am under orders to bring that man in to the council. There is almost nothing on his whereabouts in the archives on Ossus, the only link to the remnants of his order is you. I could use any information you have on him or his associates "
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The Shepherd
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Post by The Shepherd on Aug 7, 2015 14:46:22 GMT -8
Word traveled fast. Rutil didn't remember there being any witnesses to the events on Naboo, but when two whole villages wound up dead with telltale signs of a battle between masters of the Force, people put two and two together. Rather than reach out for the datapad, he let it fall to the sandy ground with a clatter. If he himself had any information on the Sith Lord, he would have reported it immediately. But as it stood, all the Jedi Guardian had was a face, a blade color, and a knowledge that the monster had to be put down. That's how the Sith worked; in going to Ossus and spending time in their obnoxiously large library and being in the company of those double-dipping curs, Mr. Shadow Intelligence had only wasted his time. If one wanted to find a Sith, one had to seek them out, and as sure as the Yavin sky was blue there wouldn't be any information about a living, breathing Sith Lord in a Jedi library. No true Sith would have allowed it.
"We fought. We left. We arranged to meet for dinner by candlelight and the bastard never showed up, can you believe that?"
The Zabrak used mockery to quell his increasing frustration with the situation at hand. For someone that was supposed to be some kind of Jedi super-spy, this guy was acting like a rank amateur. Between that, his insistence on not being seen or known until he decided it was good and proper to do so well within their lines, and knowing things that Rutil knew for a fact he hadn't told a kriffing soul until he met with Master Calmcacil, the Jedi had more than enough reason to believe that "Aeryn Morningstar" was - in the best case scenario - nosy, naive, and prying into business that didn't concern him. Rutil opened his mouth to deliver one of his famous, ice-cold diatribes when he felt something tugging at the back of his neck.
Someone else. Someone else that shouldn't be here. And just as it had on Naboo, Rutil felt a power in his veins slowly start to broil, like a tidal wave ready to crash into the shore.
"Listen to me, Morningstar," Rutil began, his voice low and his words measured, "we have more strangers coming our way. I may have something for you on the Acclamator you might have seen in orbit when you breached our defenses and risked our operation, and my men need rest. If you want my help, I need you to detain whoever's coming. That means you power their ship down completely, you keep an eye on them, and you don't speak a word to them while I get to my ship and send you what I've got. And if you break even a single one of the protocols I've laid out, then you and your little Shadow Intelligence group can all hang. I'll leave that comm unit over by the ship so we can keep in contact. Tracking me?"
The strangers came closer, and Rutil didn't wait for Morningstar's answer before turning to board the Corellian corvette himself. If he wanted to prove that he was going after the same Sith Lord, then he would be a good boy and do as he was told.
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Post by Aeryn Morningstar on Aug 7, 2015 15:03:50 GMT -8
Aeryn gives a thumbs a up with his right hand and watches Rutil walk to his ship. As Aeryn finds a nice spot to take seat, his mind wanders on what tea he should make for Rutil to help distress the old guy. Laughing to himself, Aeryn speaks under his breath
"you catch all that Sypher? "
A few audible beeps come through Aeryn's earpiece as Sypher acknowledges him. Once this newcomer lands, at least Aeryn knows that if he can't detain this person Sypher will ensure that his ship never leaves Korriban. Stretching out into the force, Aeryn calmly waits. He didn't enjoy working with Rutil but the mission proved more important than his own personal issues.
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Darth Andor
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Post by Darth Andor on Aug 7, 2015 19:43:33 GMT -8
Approximately a kilometer out from the Valley of the Dark Lords, the unmarked RC-2 scoutship lowered itself onto the ground, finally reaching its targeted destination. It hovered briefly above the sandy ground, causing a mini-chaotic sandstorm until the sleek black craft touched down, albeit a little roughly. The engines went from their usual high-pitched whine, and slowly descended in pitch, becoming a low grumble before silencing completely as the pilot switched off the engines. The small landing ramp extended into the dirt, and a single male, approximately thirty-five in age walked into the open air.*
*The pilot, dubbed William Potts, was clad in a worn, dirtied white shirt, a small patch of black chest hair sticking out due to a missing button. Next there was his tattered, khaki colored cargo pants, with heavy wear in the knees, and his scuffed, unpolished brown boots. His hair was black and combed over (mostly) to his right, but wisps of it strayed here and there, giving him a slightly crazed, mad scientist look. On his belt, and strapped in, was a DH-17 Blaster Pistol. As he walked down the ramp, he kept his hands easily within view and away from his weapon.*
*He stopped at the end of the ramp and looked at the rocky outcrop that surrounded them. He was surrounded by rocks, boulders, sand, dirt, desert... and more desert. As he looked to the East, he saw the outline of something in the distance, presumably the Valley of the Dark Lords and the Sith Academy. Was that a dot moving through the air? He couldn't be sure at this distance. He'd need a pair of binoculars to confirm anything.*
*Keeping his eyes moving to avoid raising suspicions of his recognition of the distant Valley, William turned slightly to his left where he would face whoever was greeting him from his "naval escort".
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Post by Aeryn Morningstar on Aug 7, 2015 20:48:54 GMT -8
Aeryn ears perks as he hears a space craft over head. opening his eyes he watches the ship land about kilometer away from him. Sighing as he knows he would have to walk there. Aeryn sits up and stretches, using the force to increase his speed Aeryn moves through the rock terrain on the outside of the valley. Once clear he had about a half kilometer to go. Letting go of his force speed Aeryn walks with a purpose towards the craft. Minutes go by and soon he is within ear shot of the ship. Plotting his coordinates for Syhper, Aeryn the raises his left and waves at the man who exited the ship.
"Hello there"
Aeryn yells to get the man's attention and walks towards him. After a few moment he roughly a few yards now apart from the weary looking traveler
" Horrid looking place isn't it"
Aeryn smiles lightly as he speaks to the man
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The Shepherd
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Post by The Shepherd on Aug 7, 2015 20:57:38 GMT -8
As soon as the alleged Jedi took off, Rutil wasted no time himself, making his way up the boarding ramp. And as the Spearhead lifted off with a loud whine and maneuvered itself out of the Valley of the Dark Lords with a low rumble, she let out a massive roar as all of her engines rocketed her away from the site and into the sky.
On board the vessel, lurching slightly as the ship's artificial gravity and the planet's gravity fought each other, Rutil flipped two switches on the small box that the Emerald Blades' spokesman had given him, allowing himself another sordid smile.
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Darth Andor
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Post by Darth Andor on Aug 7, 2015 21:23:17 GMT -8
From the flat landscape past the rocky outcrop at which he was located, William saw the male figure coming... from the direction of the Valley of the Dark Lords. Finally, the approaching male was within earshot and hailed the pilot.
"Horrid and Lonely. Just what I'm looking for." He said wearily, his eyes examine the figure that stood before him. He wore some sort of light, black battle armor, hugging tightly across the man's lean body. By the garb, he assumed the man was some sort of warrior. But then, William's eyes noticed the unmistakeable lightsaber hilt at his hip. Not just a warrior, a Force user. But which? A Jedi or a Sith? William was not Force Sensitive and therefore, could not identify the standing of the stranger. But with the attitude in which he greeted the pilot, William could infer that this man was no Sith.*
*But why was there a Jedi on Korriban?*
*His mind was racing with questions. He needed to contact the Grand Inquisitor. He needed to report his findings.
"If you don't mind me asking, Sir, but what's going on over there?" He pointed hesitantly towards the Valley, "I came here seeking refuge from the Hutts. Word had reached my ears that the Sith had abandoned Korriban. So i thought it would be the perfect place to hide. Why would the Hutts look for me here?" He easily kept his composure. He did not feel nervous. He did not feel fear. Years of training as a pilot and an Imperial spy, William had learned to harness and hide his emotions from those able to sense them. Through strict discipline and tormenting pain, he had eventually succeeded in such a daunting ability. But now, he was confident he could fool the Jedi that stood before him. This man shouldn't be able to sense the pilot's true intentions. "With that being said, I didn't expect to run into a small blockade."
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Post by Aeryn Morningstar on Aug 7, 2015 21:40:37 GMT -8
Aeryn listens to the man and nods. He could understand the pilots problem, to be hunted by the huts was a daunting ordeal to deal with but running to Korriban ? a smart man wouldn't dare touch down here to find refuge. Even if the Sith had left the planet those that remained where not of the best sort to be around. Aeryn had his own way of dealing with things but he would do his best to work by why Rutil said. Aeryn didn't want to give the old man a heart attack after all. As Aeryn speaks he uses the force to press a button on his wrist communicator and then projects his presence into the ship. If there where others on board he would know.
" To be hunted by the hutts is hell all in its own. But I would not advise you to stay here long. This place has its own dangers"
As Aeryn project himself through the force he can feel the pilot, nothing dangerous came from him but he felt an almost guarded feeling. The same feeling he had gotten when interrogating those who had trained themselves to resist mind probing. Aeryn continues the conversation casually, if things go south Sypher would disable the ship from the air and Aeryn would deal with this man.
"In the valley there? just a research team, and I apologize about the blockade, like I said this can be a dangerous place...its best to keep your guard up"
Aeryn takes a few steps towards the man keeping his right hand at his by his side but at the ready to take hold of his lightsaber
"What is your name traveler?"
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Darth Andor
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Post by Darth Andor on Aug 8, 2015 9:47:30 GMT -8
"I'm well aware of those dangers. Just stopping here to throw off any trackers." William responded cooly. As Aeryn projected himself into the scout's ship, he would find nothing that would raise suspicion. The only stored data on the ship were five coordinates on the navicomputer for Korriban, Tatooine, Nar Shadaa, Kuat and Coruscant. Tatooine was where he had fled the huts, the other planets provided easy methods of casting away one's identity and assuming another. The only recorded transmission Aeryn would find was the interaction between William and Eyeball, which had occurred only shortly before in Korriban's orbit.*
*Next, he spoke of the activity at the Valley. Apparently, according to him, was just the usual activity of some research team. That threw up a red flag.*
*A lie.*
*If it was a simple research team, why would there be a blockade orbiting the planet. Why had that squadron of Skipray Blastboats been so aggressive in nature at the scout's arrival. Those boats weren't simple patrol craft.... They were military escorts.*
*"It's best to keep your guard up," the Jedi warned as he began to advance closer to the pilot. As he stepped forward, the Jedi asked for his name.
"Keep your distance," He warned, standing this ground against the advancing Jedi. "My name is William Potts. Now will you please leave me alone? I've proved to not be a threat to you or your research team. I just want to get away from them before they find me!"
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Jace Stealer
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Post by Jace Stealer on Aug 8, 2015 11:47:28 GMT -8
As soon as the alleged Jedi took off, Rutil wasted no time himself, making his way up the boarding ramp. And as the Spearhead lifted off with a loud whine and maneuvered itself out of the Valley of the Dark Lords with a low rumble, she let out a massive roar as all of her engines rocketed her away from the site and into the sky.
On board the vessel, lurching slightly as the ship's artificial gravity and the planet's gravity fought each other, Rutil flipped two switches on the small box that the Emerald Blades' spokesman had given him, allowing himself another sordid smile. |
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The Shepherd
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Post by The Shepherd on Aug 8, 2015 13:57:27 GMT -8
Setting the comlink down, Rutil Iorek looked down at the controller he had been given, and flipped the final switch.
In what must have been an instant, the explosions tore through the corridors and the nooks of their respective buildings, the very air turned against them as it was ignited and ripped apart by the blasts. Ancient murals turned to ash, then to smoke, and then to nothingness in the blink of an eye. Pottery was vaporized on contact. Stonework was cracked and shattered a million times over in a heartbeat and blown into dust. Leather-bound tomes were reduced to memories. And under the unbearable pressure of the cruiser-grade explosives, the tombs crumbled and caved in, bringing thousands of tons of stone down on the antechambers, hallways, and crevasses that led the way to the bodies of the Sith Order's most prestigious members. And as the carved valley walls outside each tomb began to crack, crumble, and fall to the ground below, flames that seemed to shoot from the very pits of hell itself cascaded into the valley. The fire carried the shockwave with it, and with four simultaneous explosions sweeping into the valley, any trace of the ancient and ruined statues was wiped away with crushing force and purging flame.
At the end of the valley, the Sith Academy erupted like a volcano. From the bottom, the same hellish wave that overtook the Valley of the Dark Lords shot forth from the pyramid's depths, incinerating everything in its path and causing the two statues holding the pyramid up - representing the oppression necessary to be a successful Sith Lord - to burn and weaken before finally being blown apart. The pyramid itself began to falter and come apart, only for another mighty blast to shoot forth from the building's apex and into the sky, like a beacon of the Sith's impending damnation. And as the blast overtook the top of the pyramid, it also took a good deal of the building with it, leaving it without a capstone as it was brought to the ground in a heap of metal and stone.
In less than a minute, the ruins of the Valley of the Dark Lords and the center of all Sith learning since time immemorial was reduced to a stone quarry.
But the revenge of the Jedi was not yet complete. |
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