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Post by Whill Shaman Xixo on Apr 5, 2013 8:23:08 GMT -8
*After the cataclysm caused by the Mass Shadow Generator, Malachor V became a cracked and twisted wasteland covered with jagged cliffs and plagued by constant lightning storms. It was inhabited by monstrous storm beasts. The gravity of the planet was unstable, which made it dangerous for starships to stay there for very long.*
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Alaric Lamar
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Post by Alaric Lamar on Sept 1, 2013 17:15:55 GMT -8
The Defiant glided through the cold blackness of space.. It had been 2 months and now finally, the black shell that was Malachor was visible through the forward viewports. However the spectacle was lost to the crew as they remained frozen in stasis, awaiting the moment when the experimental VI codenamed The Shepard, would jump start the ship's systems and wake the crew. So far the mission had gone off without a hitch, the warship's main systems had been powered off and crew put in stasis to prevent any sith defenses or random patrols from scanning the veseel and realizing it was a live warship instead of a derelict one...
As the ship approached a countdown timer continued to tick away seconds and minutes, the short moments of time when The Shepard would come online again and begin to take control of the ship's systems...
3...
2...
1...
The captain's personal console began to light up, computer code began to light up the screen casting an eerie glow on the otherwise dark bridge.
"This is Shepard, exiting hibernation mode now. Beginning ship system reboot. Begin countdown for atmospheric entry and crew revival."
With the VI back online the bridge light's and consoles began to turn on. With it's sophisticated programming the VI was able to operate most bridge systems itself. Engines were back to full power, shields were raised and weapons came online. With it's control over the propulsion systems, Shepard brought the cruiser into low orbit and have it orbit the planet until the crew and vessel were back to full power, so to speak.
However Malachor was a planet that the Republic had not visited since the destruction of the Mandalorians. The planet itself was a factor that could never have been accounted for. Little did the Republic intelligence specialists, trajectory technicians or other officers involved know that Malachor had been... changed... The Iridonian tech expert Bao Durr's super weapon, the Mass Shadow generator had... consequences that would haunt jedi for the next decade. For Alaric, Captain Nek, the rest of the jedi and the crew, they would become one of the many trajedies associated with the dead planet.
Massive electrical storms and gravity fluctuations were now common place on Malachor with the power to drag down even Republic and Mandalorian warships, which littered the planet below. The Defiant was now caught within the gravity fluctuations, slowly but surely being crushed and forced down to the planet.
"Life support systems back onli... Warning Warning propulsion systems failing! Hull strucural integrity failing. Losing altitude..."
The Defiant began to sink in orbit, it's hull plates began to buckle under the tremendous gravitational force. The VI tried valiantly to overcharge the engines to prevent the crash but it was already too late... The engines sstruggled but were no match for the power of a planet... As it sunk lower into the upper atmosphere the ship was buffeted by massive electrical discharges that fried sub-systems and began to overload the shields...
"Electrical countermeasures failing... Shield strength failing... Electrical power surge heading towards bridge..."
Shepard was not prepared for this eventuallity. The descent had been accelerated faster than the VI's time table and the crew had not been woken from stasis. The ship was rapidly plummeting towards the surface and a powersurge was heading to the bridge, threatening to kill the AI and fry the ship's executive systems and command protocols.
"Unable to awaken crew, probablility of crew survival out of stasis 33.33333333 percent. Unsatisfactory surival rate. Rerouting powersurge to non-essential systems. Bridge must be maintained."
The VI directed the powersurge away from the bridge which took out the main targetting computer and engine systems... However it had managed to save the bridge, for the moment. With the engines gone the VI attempted to level the ship out with repulsorlifts...
"Impact imminent. Isolating and diverting all availible power to the bridge. Shutting down all other systems. Now unable to unlock organics... Will survive till rescue. Entering low power state until rescue."
The ship then went dark, the only light came from the errie glow from the Captain's personal console as the VI waited for the inevitable crash and the rescue party.
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Alaric Lamar
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Post by Alaric Lamar on Sept 2, 2013 11:06:37 GMT -8
Shepard, the Galactic Republic's experimental on-board ship VI was roused from it's low-powered hibernation. Shepard, began to regain cognitive functions, much like a human would wake oneself after being drowsy. More systems had to be sacrified in order to maintain proper function throughout the decades and centuries, timelogs were unfortunately one of the subystems that went neglected as The Shepard attempted to remain active. In it's time alone, aboard the captain's computer it had easily, given the time and lack of responsibility, hacked through all of Captain Nek's private files as well as the sensetive Republic fleet information. The VI had, inevitably expanded it's knowledge through vieweing saved databases with files containing planet statistics, galactic languages, protocols and history... It was now... Something different and the zeal in which it responded to the outside stimuli hinted at something... The outside stimuli, was of course the faintest signature of a vessel in orbit that had against all odds been picked up by the ship's long defunct sensor suite. Perhaps serendipity allowed the ancient sensor suite to see the ship so many miles away, or perhaps the atmospheric discharges allowed for a temporarily boosted signal, whatever the case the Shepard had awoken and the idea of rescue was awoken as well.
The Captain's control panel glowed brightly as and numbers flashed across the screen. A collection of ones and zeros, the representation of The Shepard in binary form. However, Shepard's research had indicated that this was not the best way in which to respond to organics and it adopted a more aesthetically pleasing image of a floating humanoid that was projected on a small holoprojector near the captain's computer. The Shepard slowly coaxed power back into the SOS beacon system, trying to strengthen the signal and attract the attention of the wayward vessel.
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Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase
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Post by Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase on Sept 2, 2013 14:22:25 GMT -8
The Simic didn't land, it merely hovered over the inhospitable landscape, lowering it's landing ramp to allow a darkly cloaked figure to jump down; before ascending back into the storm-cloud leaden skies.
Jud's ship wouldn't be able to stand the ever changing atmosphere, and ironically enough that was why the Old Sith was here. He had finally found where it was, where the 'Defiant' had made its final mission. How many died here? Thought Jud as he quickly made his way towards the bleeping image on his auspex. He hadn't been at the final battle of Malachor V, Revan had sent him to Dromund Kaas for research... It had probably been purposely done, seeing as most if not all the Jedi and Republic forces sent to the planet were those that his Master knew would never follow him in the coming days of change.
Jud smirked at the thought, he'd survived now for over three thousand years, and continued the legacy which he had been bestowed with back on Dromund Kass... He was the keeper, and this was one of the final loose ends from his far past.
As Jud reminisced a cry went up and echoed off the jutting cavernous spines of mountains around him. "Shadow beasts..." Jud said to himself, knowing that the surface of Malachor had been forever changed by the actions of his Master. The things that went bump in the night here were strong, maybe stronger than those of any other dark place in the galaxy; maybe even more than Korriban. "I must make this a quicker trip than first thought..." Murmured the Sith to himself as he looked down to his auspex again, showing Jud that the wreckage was only another hundred meters away.
"Ah, the final puzzle piece is in reach." Jud whispered out with a smirk, as he nimbly hopped from jutting rock to jutting rock towards the 'Defiant'.
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Post by Alaric Lamar on Sept 2, 2013 20:57:13 GMT -8
In the bowels of the ship the stasis pods glows slightly, still powered but just barely enough to keep critical systems online. There was not enough power to jumpstart the awakening process as most of the ship's power had been devoted to the ships' VI in order for it to maintain itself in the even a rescue party arrived. Fortunately all 406 Pods were still functioning. By luck or by design the stasis podshad been placed within the reinforced, repurposed docking bay, the only place large enough and safe enough to hold all the pods, in exchange for loosing any starfighter capabilties.
The pods were arranged in rows against the walls, 3 levels high, the upper levels reached via ladders and small scaffolding with guard rails. In the center of the hangar was the installed stasis field power generator that had been overloaded and damaged by Malachor's electrical storms and would need to be repaired to crack the pods.
7 Pods stood alone from the rest, in their own dedicated space in the center of the hangar. They were obviously individuals of importance, it was the only appropriate assumption for their seperation from the other individuals in the other pods, who were all dressed in Republic Uniforms and armor... These individuals looked different through the glass, one of them, a bothan was dressed in Republic Uniform, the others however were dressed in the garb of Jedi.
In a stasis pod a male jedi in red robes began to twitch, then spasm uncontrollably. His eyes twitched behind shut eyelids, a horrendous nightmare assailed the jedi's mind. A vision of a crashing ship and and a dark figure approaching slowly, surely...
Alaric's eyes fluttered open and struggled to see anything in the shadows. He instinctively leaned forward to push the glass of the stasis pod away but alas he found nothing but air and he toppled forward onto his hands and knees. He groaned and remained there for a moment, regaining his senses. His brow furrowed as he noticed the silence... Which was unusual for any starship... and the movement... The constant shudder of the starship as it travelled through space... There was only stillness. He felt a shadowy presence, that of which Alaric had never felt before. He stretched out his mind and felt the familiar presence his allies he raised his head and found himself looking at the rusted, shattered walls of the hangar. Grunting he lifted himself up and turned to face the line of stasis pods, all of which dimmed faintly in the dark hangar. There was something 'off' about this. The ship, the angle of the floor and now that he looked around the lack of running systems and other crew out of their pods. He could still sense them, their subdued vitals still locked in perpetual animation, but nothing was as it should be. Frowning he reached towards his belt but his hand simply brushed against the cool metal of his lightsaber.
In a single intake of breath, the force flared within Alaric, a small wave, much like a gust of wind shot away from him in a small circle, picking up dust and sending it swirling away. He approached Roblio's pod and tried to access the controls. Much like the rest of the ship the control panel was dead. Feeling the shadowy aura drawing closer Alaric became more desperate, calling on the force to open the stasis pods, but he was too weak, the pods sealed too tightly...
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Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase
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Post by Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase on Sept 2, 2013 23:47:49 GMT -8
It wasn't long before Jud came upon the old Hammerhead-class ship. The Old Sith looked upon it with a sense of reverence, touching the weathered, carbon-scored hull with a skeletal hand. It was partly in nostalgia; seeing the old republic insignia. Partly due to actually being in the presence of a ship he had looked for since the Civil War started. "The lost mission..." Jud smiled as he continued along the hull, heading aft towards the first visable hatch.
Jud stepped in front of the closed hatch, eying the still sealed seams. Odd... Thought the Sith as he searched the length of the hull for anything amiss, but there was nothing. "Nothing..." Jud said softly as one of his ornate sabers leapt to his outstretched hand. With a snap-hiss it came to life, its vibrant orange blade flicked out into the ancient hull of the craft. The audible shriek of blade on superheated metal made Jud smile, as it cut into the seam releasing a gust of pressurized air. "Pressurized?" Jud said to himself, surprised slightly that a ship three thousand years old had actually stayed intact....somehow. Jud's eyebrow raised at the new information, before his blade cut through the remaining bolts on the hatch. Jud raised his hand and with a modest flick sent the thick door soaring meters away with a metallic thud.
Jud stepped into the stale interior while using his saber as a flashlight; washing the corridor in a orange hue. He knew the basic layout of a shuttle like this, he'd been on them before. Jud turned his head to the left, knowing it lead to the bridge, and the prize he had come for... but as Jud took his first steps towards the cockpit, he felt something. "Impossible." Jud said with a dismissive shake of his head, before turning back, to face the blackness of the aft section; towards the hangar-bay. "I must be-..." Jud started before he felt it again. He turned around completely and just looked back into the darkness. "How?" Was all the Sith said. "How how how!" He yelled into the darkness as the twinging in the Force continued. There was a Force signature, a faint Force signature, and Jud knew it to be an impossibility, yet he knew what he was feeling to be genuine.
The Sith's jaw set into a determined scowl, as he ignited his second saber; illuminating the corridor completely. With renewed vigor Jud took steady footsteps towards the back of the craft. Every step allowing the signature to grow stronger and stronger in Jud's predatory mind. Before Jud knew it, he was at a full sprint, hurtling towards the hangar bay with break-neck speed.
He'd get to the bottom of this.
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Alaric Lamar
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Post by Alaric Lamar on Sept 3, 2013 13:31:44 GMT -8
Alaric heard the echo of a shout bouncing down the corridors and cringed. There was something unearthly about the voice and the ominous presence in the force did nothing to comfort him. Having given up on opening the other stasis pods and not willing to damage the occupants, Alaric moved away from them and towards the dark hallway from which the dark side came. It was at a small incline and he had to walk up it to meet this threat before it could endanger his allies. His slow measured steps were in contrast to sprint of the dark one. The young knight held himself tall and urged confidence and peace within his mind despite the cold sweat beading on his forehead. This aura was unlike he had ever felt before. It was elusive and shifting, not the familiar rage he had felt amongst the dark siders he had dueled. This was a different breed, perhaps a sith master, who's anger was more refined, more potent, more dangerous...
Whoever or whatever it was, it was fast approaching. Alaric took his place in the Hangar hallways' threshold. Kneeling on the cold durasteel he placed his lightsaber in front of him, held his hands together and prepared himself for the coming battle. He meditated to clear his mind, to give it focus and to tap into the remnants of the light-side of the force that was so subdued here. He would be fighting he know, without the support of the force, he would be weak against this evil. As he began to accept his fate, his saber levitated in front of him and a peace came over him.
There was a crash to his left and the knight immediately sprung up, his saber flying into his outstretched right hand and igniting with a snap-hiss. He peered through the darkness "Reveal yourself in the name of the jedi." He said bravely. In response there was more crashing and the creak of grinding metal. A sentinel class wardroid made it's ponderous way into the green circle of light. Rust caked it's exterior but it still gripped it's decrepit blaster rifle ceremoniously. Alaric was about to ask it a question when it's monotone voice said "Greetings Knight Alaric. I respectfully request you return to your pod to await rescue. The climate conditions on this planet are not suitable for extended exposure."
"Power off droid or activate your weapon. Our enemy is here" Said Alaric, raising his saber as a wave of nausea crashed over him. The darkness was close.
"I am not a simple droid knight Alaric, I am Shepard, this ship's master AI and I have no indication that an enemy presence is approaching. I believed that a rescue party had arrived, however the vessel matched no known IFF signatures." replied The Shepard.
Alaric turned away from the droid in disgust as an orange glow appeared at the end of the hallway and quickly approach. "We have no time you blasted machine! For the Jedi!" Yelled Alaric as he prepared to charge forward, however he was blocked by the metallic droid's body. "Out of my way droid!"
The Shepard did not respond, instead it walked slowly towards the lightsaber wielding man. "Greetings organic. I am Shepard, this ship's Virtual Intelligence, commisioned by the Galactic Republic military intelligence subcommittee. Are you jedi or sith?"
Alaric remained behind the droid. It was too late now. He gripped his saber tensely expecting the worst.
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Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase
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Post by Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase on Sept 3, 2013 21:08:11 GMT -8
"Faster faster faster..." Jud said softly in a self empowering mantra, as he glided through the corridor. His arms pinned against his sides, as the molten tips of his saber's scored a continuous line on each wall. There was a figure off in the nearing distance now. No, figures... "Impossible." Jud remarked yet again under his breath, there was no one, not a single soul alive that knew he was here, or where the Defiant had gone down. Jud had erased all traces in the Jedi archives, and even from his beloved archives on Korriban.
"That only leaves..." Jud hissed out, his single eye widening with realization. "Survivors. Excellent!" The Sith laughed as the last several meters brought one of the figures into focus.
"Well, Shepard..." Jud cackled, not slowing his advance towards the decrepit battle-droid. "Why don't you tell me?" Jud finished with a maniacal grin. It was the last thing the droid would ever compute, as it was cleaved into three distinct pieces by the Sith's blades making short work of the aged mechanoid..
Through the dissected remains of Shepard, Jud finally saw the source of the Force signature. A man, a Jedi with his saber drawn and ready, stood in front of the Old Sith. He was garbed in the manner of the old ways. He wore his own livery; a vivid red. Which would be considered taboo compared to the basic garb of the Order today. Jud stopped his advance, making sure to stay just out of the Jedi's striking range - for now. Jud smiled at the man from under his hood; the darkness of concealment allowing no light to cut through the inky black of his veil. Only his single ruby red eye twinkled for the man in front of him. Jud's right saber deactivated and found its way into the folds of his cloak. while his left saber's tip lazily twisted and swirled against the durasteel flooring; causing a grating sound. He soon would be testing his former brethren's abilities, though they felt weak... He'd play with his prey first.
"You somehow survived the crash?" Jud said while he started to pace around the Jedi, curiously scrolling into the floor with his blade. "You somehow survived..." Jud looked around to see that the hangar bay was anything but a hangar bay. "You survived three thousand years in stasis? I didn't think that possible." Jud shrugged. "I commend you on your resilience." Jud nodded his head, as if he were having an inner monolog with himself, before looking up and into the Jedi's eyes again. "And all to die now... in front of me. Such a pity." Jud's voice conveyed his sarcastic tone, as he lunged in with his left saber, for a straight jab to the Jedi's heart.
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Alaric Lamar
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Post by Alaric Lamar on Sept 3, 2013 22:42:18 GMT -8
Alaric didn't flinch as the droid was cut down in front of him. The sith, it had to be a sith, was fast and precise. Three flicks of his wrist had sent the droid into three pieces tumbling onto the durasteel. Now there was nothing in between the two force users and Alaric was able to take full measure of his opponent. Orange sabers were an interesting choice of saber, he had never seen a sith use anything other than red blades... Bending his knees slightly, he took a cautious step backward, holding his saber up in a defensive position. He was disconcerted by the shadowy man's single red eye that glowed with an unnatural intensity. With each step Alaric took, the sith followed, maintaing a constant distance right outside striking range.
As they moved slowly across the open floor of the hangar, the sith dropped his saber to drag upon the floor, sending up sparks and leaving a glowing trail. Some simple wrist movements created strange, if not random patterns on the floor. Alaric glanced at the saber, switching his focus between the orange blade and the man who held it. His mind in battlestate, the jedi knight noticed the man held his saber with his left hand, that would make things a bit more interesting and he'd have to adapt accordingly. While contemplating the pros and cons of launching the first attack he heard the sith's ancient, yet powerful voice. Alaric had concluded by himself that the ship had crashed but thousands of years in stasis? Impossible.
Alaric was mulling the possibility of this in his mind when he heard the word "die" and snapped back to focus. The sith, in his experience, always seemed to project their attacks through screams, declarations and promises. Alaric, was therefore ready for the quick jab at his chest. Alaric had held his lightsaber in a defensive stance, both hands gripping the hilt and the blade centered on his body, pointing slightly towards his opponent. AS the orange blade lanced out to his chest, Alaric quickly batted the orange blade with rightward swing of his saber. He then followed by turning his wrists down, and swiping hsi saber back and to the left to hopefully knock the sith's blade away and slice the green blade across the sith's chest in two quick motions.
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Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase
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Post by Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase on Sept 4, 2013 16:54:22 GMT -8
Jud's parried blade quickly recovered, as his opponent's ham-handed circle parry only aided in Jud's preferred style of saber combat. With a clockwise flick of his wrist, Jud brought his saber's blade perpendicular to the floor, catching the Jedi's blade at the apex of it's swing. As the parry was made Jud's right foot slid out allowing the Sith to move away from the Jedi's parried weapon and towards his unguarded side. With Jud's left saber holding fast to the Jedi's two-handed approach to saber fighting. Jud's right hand extended out into a grasping claw, calling his remaining saber to it with ease. The second saber ignited into another orange blade, and immediately swung in from right to left (outside in) from Jud's right side to his left. the Sai tok-slash was placed at the Jedi's prone midsection.
"Such a pity..." Jud said solemnly.
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Post by Alaric Lamar on Sept 4, 2013 19:42:38 GMT -8
Alaric's blade crashed against the orange blade of his opponent in a splash of sparks. The sith's speed was unnerving, he had moved past and under Alaric's blade to catch it before it sliced him open. Alaric began to push against the sith's blade, hoping to force it back on the with, using both his arms he believed he had the strength to do so. However, as the milliseconds past and no measurable gain, Alaric realized the sith was incredibly strong as well. As the sith's right hand stretched out, Alaric sensed the tell-tale pulse of the force and out of the corner of his eye saw the blade fly into the empty hand. Alaric called upon the force, begging the lightside for intervention...
The Knight of the old republic dived to the right, falling into a shoulder roll that took him to the sith's left flank. The sith's right handed saber stroke passed through open air, as the jedi dived under and away. Alaric jumped from his roll, allowing momentum carry him as he spun his body into an upright position, with force speed he spun his saber out from him like a spinning top, slicing in several rotations the sith's left side if he made no move to avoid it.
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Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase
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Post by Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase on Sept 6, 2013 8:57:58 GMT -8
Jud laughed, enjoying the thrill of having this jaunt on what he thought would be an "in and out" type of mission. He'd rather have some fun than just be allowed his prize; especially dealing with a man as old as he was.
"I see you're as surprised as I am, Jedi..." Jud said mirthfully as he noticed the Jedi's reaction to his single-handed parry holding against the man's two-handed strike. "Actually I'm not. You're weak and this place only helps me weaken you more." Jud continued to laugh as his right handed strike barely missed the Jedi. "Oh, very good... very goood."
Jud was impressed, for being in stasis for over 3000 years he was keeping up with the Sith. Well... Jud thought with a smirk. The man was from the Old Republic, when the Jedi Order still knew how to train their members, yet Jud wondered how this Jedi expected to win this battle? He was weakened, by prolonged stasis hibernation and the effects of this dead planet. Add to that he was using single blade Soresu style against a duel-wielding Makashi specialist. The resilience form, admirable, and effective, but ultimately useless in such a situation.
The Jedi was missed by Jud's right saber, ducking and rolling under and away before striking out towards Jud's back. The Sith snapped into action, pivoting on his right foot and smoothly sliding his left foot towards his opponent; the dance had begun. Jud's left arm swung back, pointing the blade of his saber down towards the floor, catching the Jedi's first strike as it went towards his prone back. Jud continued with his momentum, continuing his left saber's motion even after the initial parry, bringing it up and out to catch yet another retort, before darting the orange blade down to catch a third strike in quick succession. As Jud was parrying, Jud's right side was sliding around, to be brought to bare on the man yet again.
"Most impressive!" Jud said with a smile, keeping his left blade against the Jedi's final stroke, as he swiftly brought his right saber to bare. "Its been a very very long time since I've had someone last longer than an initial volley, and with a single blade. Bravo!" Jud continued genuinely to the Jedi before him. His right saber coming in horizontally to the floor in a slashing arch aided by his momentum. The slash was coming for the Jedi's closest extended arm.
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Alaric Lamar
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Post by Alaric Lamar on Sept 6, 2013 23:56:33 GMT -8
Alaric's head spun, not simply from the dizziness of his spin, but from the rolling nausea of the dark side. He was weak here, too weak and the fight was going on too long. The knight knew somehow that that had been his last best chance to fell the sith lord. But the darksider had managed to block each successive strike. Now sweat beaded upon his forehead and dripped into his green eyes, stinging them. Blinking them away, he looked at the shrouded form with resignation and fear. This was the end. With his volley finished, the sith had moved back into an offensive position and the orange blade came swiftly up towards his extended left hand that had helped balance his last attack.
Alaric tried to pull his arm away, but the saber was too fast and he was too slow. The sith's blade sparked as it cut through the old verpine shield unit on his left forearm and black smoke rose from where the tip of the sith's orange blade cut across his forearm, almost to the bone.
"AGHH!!!" The pain was indescribable. Alaric had been wounded in combat before but he had never been so without the force to soothe his mind and body. Here with the darkside penetrating his core, he had no solace and no respite. The pain was absolute and he fell to his knees, holding his still smoking left hand close to his chest, grunting with pain. His right hand and saber hung loosely by his side, the blade burning into the durasteel, as he was almost too weak to hold it. Fighting to keep from blacking out and succumbing to the darkness the sith stood over him. Alaric turned his eyes upward and looked toward the dark one, grimacing. "You cannot win sith. I will die, but the jedi will remain as we always have. You and your kind will turn on one another and be hunted down as you always have. Your lord, Darth Malak will be slain and the light shall prevail as it always has." And in a final act of defiance, Alaric used the last of his strength to plunge his green blade towards the sith's chest.
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Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase
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Post by Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase on Sept 7, 2013 1:32:09 GMT -8
The sound of pain brought a smile to Jud's face, as he watched the Jedi's saber posturing fail under his swordsmanship. "Excellent..." Jud murmured, ending his dance as the man fell to his knees, cradling his useless arm. Jud's sabers extinguished and neatly found their ways into his robes. The prey had been wounded, its wings clipped, and that was what Jud had wanted from the start. How could he learn anything from a dead man? Well, technically he could... but that wasn't the point. Jud wasn't a mindless killer, he was demented and deranged, but not a senseless animal. He needed answers, and Jud knew his opponent wanted some too. Seeing as he seemed to be the lone survivor of a doomed mission...
Jud looked at the man for a moment before laughing. "Oh, how-" Jud began before the Jedi used his last remaining strength to try and capitalize on Jud being disarmed and so close.
Jud's Right hand merely moved in front of the Jedi's saber tip, taking the green blade into the palm of his hand as if it weren't superheated plasma. Jud's palm was enveloped in the hissing green of the Jedi's blade, as he put his mastery of Tutaminis to the test. "Almost..." Jud said to the Jedi as he looked down to the still bubbling green light from within his grasping hand. "Very un-Jedi-like, to strike at an unarmed opponent." Jud smirked giving the man a tisk tisk motion with his free left hand, before grasping with it to Force pull the Jedi's saber to his hand.
Jud caught the saber in his left hand and brought it close to his face, looking over the emitter, and the craftsmanship of the hilt, before taking the hilt up double handed and reigniting the blade. Jud closed his eye and listened to the saber's song, the hum of the blade presenting it's numerous tales to the Sith. If Jud had met this Jedi before, he'd know from the song - if not - then this was a man he never fought with. Jud listened, and started to go through forms with the weapon, hearing the song play as the blade moved through the Force. It only took several slashes and strikes to figure it out, and with a nod Jud extinguished the saber and tossed it back to the Jedi before him on the floor.
"I remember you having more hair, Alaric..." Said Jud'dayus as he took a seat on the floor across from a Jedi he hadn't seen in 3,976 years. "Malak was never MY Lord. Revan was my Master and mentor, but that is the distant past now, Alaric. We're two living legends, almost mythical beings now." Jud's single eye had lost it's ruby red sheen and had returned to it's natural hazel. "And don't call me Sith, it's a rather broad terminology. Just refer to me as Jud'dayus."
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Alaric Lamar
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Post by Alaric Lamar on Sept 7, 2013 7:59:03 GMT -8
The blade impacted and his weak arm could not push it anymore forward. For a moment he thought his strike had worked, but then he saw the blade, about a meter away from the sith's body, held fast by his palm. Alaric had only heard about such a move, the concentration of energy that allowed one to block blaster bolts and lightsabers with their bare hands. Alaric felt the heavy pressure of the force on his hand and he struggled to hold onto his saber before it was inevitably torn from his grasp.
His saber had been taken from him, a trophy of his defeat, just another to add to this sith's collection. That weapon had been his life, had been a tool for orchestrating peace and the blade that had turned back the darkside. Without it in his hand, Alaric's right arm fell to the ground, hanging limply. Feeling defeated, his whole body slumped lower to the floor. Still blurry from the pain, he looked at the sith with as much stoicism as he could muster, waiting for the end. Alaric hoped the sith would be merciful and kill him quickly... There was a snap-hiss and Alaric saw the green glow of his saber. Was he to be killed by his own blade? He closed his eyes and waited for the end. There was the tell-tale whirr of his saber travelling through air and the jedi squeezed his eyes tighter... then nothing... The whirring continued and he opened his eyes to see the sith slowly and elegantly going through several saber stances.
When the sith had finished he threw Alaric's saber back to him with a clank as it slid across the durasteel floor and came to rest by his knees. The sith had spoken during their duel, but Alaric had tuned out his words lest they be laced with the dark side and manipulation. However now he said his name... How did he know that? Distant past? Alaric's mind returned to his crashed ship...
"How do you know who I am? Explain yourself." Said Alaric weakly.
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Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase
Retired High Councilor
Posts: 749
Affiliation: To only a meager few, his motives are his own.
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Post by Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase on Sept 7, 2013 10:15:04 GMT -8
Jud looked to Alaric, as if the Jedi should have known his saber was the key. Only then did Jud realize that he was one of the only people to learn of the saber's song, through his tireless searching of knowledge. He'd acquired the knowledge from the crumbling texts of Sorzus Syn shortly after his fall, but that was an entirely different story to be told at another time.
Jud just gave the thought a nod before locking eyes with Alaric.
"A lightsaber is a very personal weapon." Jud began, pointing to Alaric's hilt before him on the floor. "But it's not just a weapon, it's a symbol of status, a badge of office, and a sign of hope... to most. To a Force user, it is an extension of themselves, a part of their body that can be just as painful to lose as an actual limb. Their heart and soul have gone into the weapon's construction, and thus a part of themselves... An imprint per-say, of the wielder's essence in the Force, on a Force sensitive weapon." Jud made a gesture to Alaric as if to say: and there you have it. "I know you from your saber, it told me... It's as simple, or complex as that."
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Alaric Lamar
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Affiliation: The Galactic Republic
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Post by Alaric Lamar on Sept 7, 2013 16:10:49 GMT -8
Alaric was a jedi knight and as such, he knew the importance of his weapon. It would have been an insut to him if he had been killed with his own blade and he was grudgingly grateful for the sith returning it to him. If he was to die, then let it happen quickly with the sith's weapon... Slumped upon his knees, Alaric could no longer move. The pain in his arm, coupled with the debilitating effects of the planet and his own exhaustion kept him rooted to the floor and it was all he could do to stay conscious.
The sith's words barely registered in Alaric's mind. He covered his burnt arm with his right hand and cradled it weakly against his chest groaning slightly. Clenching his teeth he replied. "Enough sith, we are not brothers, I need no lesson from you. Kill me now and spare me your poisoned words. We have never met and will never meet again."
His thoughts turned to his comrades, still locked in stasis. He hoped that they would at least be spared, and perhaps one day be rescued by the Republic. He felt ashamed that he had failed them, yet this may have been the will of the force and who is one man to challenge the the will of the force?
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Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase
Retired High Councilor
Posts: 749
Affiliation: To only a meager few, his motives are his own.
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Post by Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase on Sept 7, 2013 23:56:38 GMT -8
Jud was silent for a moment, then sighed loudly before getting up and on to his feet again. "Enough? How utterly disappointing..." Jud finally said, turning from Alaric and walking towards the stasis-pods. "Your dogmatic approach to this meeting is more than annoying, Alaric. Just like on Onderon... It's no longer a Civil War. So, dispense with the Republic rhetoric and the Jedi pomp." Jud turned to the Jedi again, extending his right hand out to collect Alaric's saber once more, before turning back to his stroll through the cryo-garden. "As I said before, STOP referring to me as Sith. It's insulting for you to lump me in with my lessors." Jud stopped before a stasis-pod and wiped the permafrost off of its plast-glass exterior. "Why would I kill you? I need answers from you, and I'm starting to like the company." The Sith smirked out as he peered into the pod; seeing a male in the garb of a Republic commando.
Jud finally took a look around the hangar bay and smiled at the amount of stasis beds. "My my my, there must be nearly 400 souls on this ship, and from here it seems they are all alive. How mysterious, an entire ship disappears for over 3000 years, and the crew have just slumbered - unharmed..." Jud tilted his head to Alaric, wondering if the man would say anything. "Do you think they are dreaming? Dreaming of their lives, their families, their friends?" Jud looked into the pod again, activating Alaric's saber. "Do you think they can feel pain or agony in their suspended state?"
Before Alaric could muster an answer Jud had already plunged the green blade through the protective glass and into the man within. Their was a slight squealing as the blade made the plast-glass bubble away from it. There was no scream, no stir from within the pod that came with the horrible action just committed, but the shock of it could be felt like a punctuated twinge in the Force. Jud just nodded his head in understanding and turned to Alaric with a cold face. "It seems that this icy grip of death does offer some release. A release from the pain of true death. Blissfully unaware that everyone he knew is dead, everything he believed in is dead, and most importantly that he should be dead."
"I'll be keeping you alive, I know you'll be thankful for it - at some point - when you realize I just need so little to finish my task here. How's the arm by the way?" Jud said genuinely as he went to the next pod, wiping away the frost and tapping on it with his hand. "I'm looking for two things. The first I know to be on the bridge of this ship." Jud turned to face Alaric again. "The other was more of a longshot, seeing as it's one of the crew; Fayian Dar..." Jud smiled. "But the Whills have gracefully allowed that possibility to happen. Despite all the ages in between." Jud turned away from Alaric again and ignited the Jedi's saber, tapping it against the pod lazily. "Start talking... or I'll continue freeing your crew from their worldly bondage."
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Alaric Lamar
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Affiliation: The Galactic Republic
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Post by Alaric Lamar on Sept 8, 2013 19:50:49 GMT -8
Onderon... This sith knew of Onderon? It disturbed Alaric that he had not remembered this man's presence. There were only but a handful of sith manipulators that sparked the civil war... There was no one as powerful as this man there, was there? Alaric was transported momentarily back to the warm streets of the beautiful city of Iziz. It was idyllic until the explosion on the skybridge signaled the start of the rebellion and out from the shadows emerged sith trained infiltrators and crazed rebels...
Alaric shook his head to clear it of these drifting thoughts. He was getting weaker, he felt himself slipping. He breathed in a deep breath and released it slowly. He continued the exercise, closing his eyes and ignoring the sith. The forced surge again and his saber flew from the floor back to the sith's hand. Alaric opened one eye quizzically, following the sith as he walked towards the cryo-tubes. There was a spike of fear in Alaric that he tried to smother, he could never let his fear of his comrades death give the sith inspiration. He maintained his stoic position, yet his heart raced. Sweat beaded on his forehead and his clasped hands tightened together to steady his nerves.
His heart dropped as the sith came to stand in front of a cryo-tube and look inside. Only a sith would smother the life within without giving him a chance to defend himself. Alaric struggled to rise to his feet "No, don't do it." Said Alaric weakly. He tried to push himself up with his right arm, yet he had no strength in his legs. The fact that the sith said he would not kill him did nothing to ease Alaric's pain. The sith's interest in the cryo-tubes was unsettling and Alaric new what was to come. With a massive effort he struggled to his feet, his left arm throbbing. He screamed as pain shot through his body, coalescing in his cut. He stared at it with wide eyes, seeing that the sith blade had cut almost halfway through it.
"No we don't dream in stasis. Step away from the soldier now. I'll answer your questions, just stop what you're doing!" Said Alaric, now on two feet, stumbling forward. But alas he was too late. His weak voice never reached the sith's ears, or perhaps the sith didn't care. Alaric felt a sharp splash of emotion in his mind as the soldier died. Alaric's legs almost buckled, but he stood firm. The sith's reference to the passage of time disturbed Alaric, but he couldn't remember why...
"My arms about cut off you monster. And that man was a soldier, worthy of a better death than you gave him! I'll answer you question Jud'dayus. Fayian Dar disappeared after we departed from Coruscant. She as never accounted for..." Alaric was conflicted, but he eventually settled upon the lie. If the Sith had to ask if Fayian was on the mission then perhaps he did not know what she looked like and he could claim she was never here... He only hoped his mind could protect the secret and he did not risk more lives.
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Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase
Retired High Councilor
Posts: 749
Affiliation: To only a meager few, his motives are his own.
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Post by Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase on Sept 9, 2013 0:59:39 GMT -8
Jud was about to raise Alaric's saber to the next stasis-pod, when the Jedi finally found his voice.
"Ah..." Jud breathed out, lowering the Jedi's saber and lifting his head towards the ceiling. Jud nodded, agreeing with Alaric's statement. He was a monster, but there was nothing he could do about that now. He had chosen his path long ago, and his end goal was yet to be finished. So, a monster he would remain. "I am a monster, that I will not deny." Jud said softly, talking to the ceiling more than Alaric. "As for your arm." Jud finally turned to lock eyes with the barely conscious Jedi. "That teaches you to not use a strong style against a flexible one... Even a padawan would know that." Jud said sternly before looking back at the pod again. "And be thankful that I didn't take your arm and head off in that one stroke..."
Jud shook his head as Alaric rebuked him for taking the soldier's life. "I took nothing from him. Everything that man had has been dead and gone for millennia. I gave him the peace that he was denied, the peace of rejoining his loved ones, to become one with the Force; as we all will someday." The Sith believed in his words,and knew them to be true. All the faithful followers of the Old Republic were dead. "These poor souls need freeing." Jud said solemnly.
"You used my name, thank you." Jud said sincerely to Alaric, with a slight bow of his head. "You've finally admitted to yourself that there is no shame in referring to me as a person... good." Jud continued before Alaric explained that Fayian Dar had never been on the 'Defiant'. "Is that so?" Jud mused as he stepped away from the stasis-pod and back towards Alaric, the Jedi's green saber still lit and in hand. "Disappeared? That's odd, losing a Jedi knight like that." Jud smirked. "When I visited the Archives on Coruscant, and took every single file from that era for my own. I never came across a single shred of evidence suggesting - as you have - that my dear Fayian ever went anywhere else." Jud continued to walk towards Alaric as he spoke, flicking the tip of the Jedi's saber across the durasteel floor seemingly out of boredom. "So, either you're a liar, or I'm a horrible scholar?"
Alaric's saber slashed out to within an inch of the Jedi's nose, the heat from his own saber prickling the front of Alaric's face. "Now, stop insulting my intelligence and tell me where Fayian slumbers?"
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