The Ancients Strike Back!

[Blessèd Sith]

Nalaen sat in her darkened chambers, at her desk, eyes flickering over a datapad in her hand. It was a copy of the Admiral's attack strategy; her plans with his additions. All around her were imitations of her homeworld; her rooms were set up as the temples there, and all around faux lava flowed. It was dark, somewhat hot and to the uninitiated quite intimidating. She felt as if she was back home. Which was exactly the point. She needed the comfort of her childhood to get her through this struggle. It wasn't easy being a Sith Lord, especially when she knew she wasn't quite ready. She'd gladly follow a good, powerful Lord. However, there was no one around but herself to fit that bill. So she stepped up, and here she was.

 

Her eyes hardened and she pressed a button on her communicator. Even as the computer acknowledged the command and sent it through to the bridge, her hand was moving, fast enough to almost be invisible, to replace the cloth covering her face. The Admiral's face popped up a few seconds later.

 

"Lord Taiasi," he said, looking up at her, away from the men he had just been speaking to.

 

"Admiral," she said smoothly, lifting a brow, her dark eyes reflecting the flowing lava across from her. "Stay the attack."

 

He looked slightly taken aback but quickly covered it up. She wouldn't punish him for that. Her command had been a surprise, and she wasn't one to foolishly waste good men. "My lord?"

 

"Give me time, Admiral." She lifted her head, eyes half-closing. Taking a deep breath, she smiled. "Yes . . . I can feel it. My plans . . . They are going as I wish . . ." She returned her attention to her man. "The attack must not take place -- yet." Nodding with a grim smile that was perceptable in her hellfire glower, "Do not worry, Admiral. You will demonstrate your skills. We will show our power, the glory of the Sith. But . . . not now. We must stay the attack. As it is, there are other things happening, things that must go forward; these things delay us. Soon, though, very soon, we will taste blood." Suddenly she became completely business-like. "That is all, Admiral."

 

"Very good, Lord Taiasi." He nodded and the communicator blinked off. He glanced at the men flocking him and waved them off, saying, "You heard our Lord! I want all hands at the ready; when Darth Taiasi says we attack, I want it instantaneous." Pointing over at some younger men, he commanded: "You, run diagnostics on the engines. Double check the shields and stealth technology. When Taiasi says jump, I want us to leap!" Turning, he marched to his station, to do his Lord's bidding, and tell all fleets to stay the attack.

 

Nalaen relaxed in her chair then got up slowly with a sigh. Casting aside all but her simplist covering, she stretched languidly. The Force thrummed through every inch of her being, ever so much more present with the feel of home. Walking to her bed, she grabbed another datapad and flicked it on. Raking a hand through her hair, she studied the little she knew on the ark. It was most likely destroyed, gone, or even just a rumour. She could not believe Exuro had been so stupid. How could he uproot the Sith like that? On a bloody rumour? There was no discussion, no disseration, not an iota of study on the subject. Just . . . obsessive fools rushing headlong into something they didn't understand.

 

But oh, her people had taught her well. Power such as that wasn't power in of itself. You had to be powerful in yourself before you could ever tap something like that. Furthermore, it had to exist. And to place all your being, all your abilities, in the hypothetical existance of something that could hold power, would have the Elders laughing hysterically at you; the ancestors would most likely smack you upside the head for being so stupid. Then you'd be punished for not stepping without care; the snapping of a twig could alert prey. Was life not just another large forest with more dangerous animals?

 

She would study this thing. If for nothing more than to learn the source of Exuro's weakness. Then she would exploit it. And hell, if it really did exist, perhaps she could use it. Smirking to herself, she was soon immersed in study.

[Jedi Atomic]

Ash eventually launches the Sabra to Nalaen's Fleet and turns on the stealth generator. He study's her Fleet and hyperspaces out of the sector. Ash arrives at Rakata and lands telling the Arbitors about what he had seen. Ash makes a plan to board one of the Capitol ships and try to find what information they have on the "Ark".

The Arbitor II suggests that they should ambush a sith patrol of sith fighters and disable them and capture them and then repair them if need be. Ash agrees and he grabs a datapad recording of the Sith patrols around Yavin IV. Ok they go around the planet every day once. so we all need to take the Sabra and disable the fighters after we disable the Minor Starfighter carrier if it starts firing on us.

Ash goes to the Rakata Scientists to see if they can have some space suits built. They agree and will have them built in one day. Ash leaves and Asks the Rakata Armorer and asks if they have some stun batons. The Armorer says he has some and he gives them to Ash and Ash puts them in the Sabra Airlock container.

The next day Ash sets the plans on who does what and they all board the Sabra with the space suits. They launch 30 minutes before the patrol starts and they arrive and wait a little and start the stealth when Ash senses them coming. The Sith Patrol arrives with no starfighter carrier and Ash thinks its going to be easy. They man their stations and the guys suit up and ready to go out the airlock.

The Gunner shoots ion cannons at some fighters and disable them and he fires until all are disabled. While he is shooting, Ash tells the knights in spacesuits when to jump out, to fly to the fighter. Ash jumps out when the last guy is out and he boosts over to a fighter opening the cockpit stunning the pilot in it. Pulling him out Ash jumps in and closes the cockpit window and takes his suit off. Ash orders everyone to follow him.

They launch into hyperspace.

[starmark2k]

"Good keep me informed, as you know i severly punish failer but i reward success." Exuro said as he let the women continue her work he turned to begin his investigation.

[Writer]

Kira bowed again and left the tomb to search for other evidence. Then, she returned to her shuttle, engaged stealth, and flew back to Nalaen's fleet. She identified herself and was allowed to land.

 

"I must see Lady Taiasi immediately," she said. "And please politely request that she be alone when I get there."

 

The man she had spoken to scurried off to obey her orders. When he reached the bridge, he approached Darth Taiasi hesitantly and bowed deeply.

 

"My lord," he said. "Your apprentice has returned. She wishes to speak with you and humbly requests that you be alone."

[Blessèd Sith]

She had spent long enough in her chambers; setting the datapad down on a small table beside her bed, Nalaen got up and donned her outer clothes and her cloak. Lifting the cowl up over her head, she covered her face and headed out of her private quarters. It was time soon. She could feel it. The men were agitated, restless; they wanted to fight. Good. A deep breath. Yes, she could feel it. Everything on her flagship, the Imperatrix, was within her senses. The men were ready to go, and -- What was that? Something in the Force trembled. Her apprentice.

 

Heading to the deck, Nalaen got ready to give the command. They would start this little hit-and-fade very soon. But not . . . just . . . yet . . .

 

A man scurried over to her, bowing deeply. "My lord," he said. "Your apprentice has returned. She wishes to speak with you and humbly requests that you be alone."

 

Her brows arched in surprise. She hadn't been expecting that one. She had figured that Kira would get on the ship and they could attack, discussing her little private mission while they destroyed Exuro. But ah well. It wasn't a major difference. Besides, her intel would aid their strike.

 

"Very well. I will be in my chambers." Turning about, Darth Taiasi stalked off, her men moving out of the way and glancing at the lurking black figure gliding past them. She gave them chills, sometimes, which was exactly how she wanted it.

[jokemaster]

((Hm...looks interesting, can somoene gimme a quick recap? And I'm assuming this is post-second cantina.))

A ship familiar to Kira and Naleen exited hyperspace in front of the fleet, heading right towards them.

"Dammit, what the hell is up with our luck. Wait....that's a sith fleet! Things may be looking up." He quickly got on the comm.

"NALEEN, KIRA THAT YOU? I COULD USE SOME HE-"

Another fleet appeared behind the man's ship, apparently made up of pirates.

[Jedi Atomic]

Ash leads the fighters and Sabra to Rakata and land asking the Rakatans to repair the ships that were damaged on the down to the planet. The Rakatan agree and start repairing the fighters that were damaged. Ash walks to the command room, he waits a little while for the jedis and soldiers that were going to help. As he was about ready to talk he counted the Rakatans, there were 23 soldiers and 19 pilots. Ash was surprised by the amount but doesn't stall with the plans.

Ash- Ok, pilots will command the fighters and will cover the Sabra going through to the Leaders ship. If we land without harm all the fighhters will land on the same ship. If we are noticed the fighters will attack the main leader ship's bridge and while the Sabra storms the hangar. When the Sabra lands everyone will charge off and need to secure the area. once secured we will head to the bridge.

[Jin Phoenix]

Sourin smiled softly as he saw Exuro enter the Korriban system. The board was set and the opening moves were being played. Sourin had a problem however...not all the pieces were face up, the Seperatist Sith's Lord, was face down. He needed this more than anything. He sighed and thought about is halfassed idea. He knew it was a long shot, but he also knew information was the more important to the Sith than anything else. It was quite funny to him for that reason, that the Sith archives were in such shambles. He smirked softly and the clicked on his communication device.

 

"Commander, thank you for taking me out here but these are my orders. In 17 minutes I will launch my shuttle into Korriban void space. Once one half hour passes from now, reroute power to the hyperspace engines and go back to Coruscant. That's all."

 

"Yes Master Jedi."

 

Sourin smiled and gathered up his things. He took only the black overrobe and the three lightsabers he ussually carried with him. One of those was placed inside his boot, another on his belt, and a third in his robe pocket. He hoped that at least one of the lightsabers would stay hidden, preferably the long one in his boot. His shuttle launched into space and within an hour he was very close to the Seperatist Sith's capital ship where he sent only one transmission.

 

"To the Sith Lord in control of this ship, the Ark is within your grasp...you will fail however, if you do not learn what it is...I can show you."

 

He smiled, he either faced a new Sith...or his final doom. He liked his odds.

[Blessèd Sith]

(((The separate rps don't really follow a time-line like that, unless they're sequals or they specifically say they do. This one's a timeline of it's own. However, if you'd like to play something vague as in your character knew Nalaen and Kira [for whatever reason] than that's neat-o n___n)))

 

The comlink at her desk beeped. It almost sounded urgent. Lifting a brow, she headed over and punched the flashing button. Before she could even speak, just as the voice came through, she knew it was a distress signal. Who in their right mind would ask Sith for help?

 

But he had known her true name. And the name of her apprentice. She punched up her computer and immediately snarled. An unmarked fleet had come up beside the one she knew. That was annoying, wasn't it.

 

"Admiral," she snapped after quickly connecting through to him, once his face appeared, "we have unexpected company. An unmarked fleet. I want them destroyed. We cannot risk having hostiles relay our position to ally fleets. Do I make myself clear? Spare no man. Destroy them." As she clicked off, she knew she didn't have to add "Or I'll destroy you." It was a given.

 

Returning to the earlier hail, she spoke: "We are sending assistance." Then she added dryly, "I can see you're in a bit of a tight spot. You will board my flagship," she sent the tragectory to him with some quick one-handed typing, "and be escorted to a safe room." She would accept no argument, and take no chances. He knew her name, he knew Kira's; he had to be someone she knew. However, it could be a betrayal, or someone she didn't like begging for help. There would be guards on this man at all times, until she could figure what his game was.

 

Entering the code for the security sector, she waited until a man's face appeared, first looking curiously at who was bothering him, then dropping in a bow, his eyes wide. Nalaen smirked to herself. Ah, power.

 

"We have a . . . friend . . . entering in distress. I want an armed guard around him at all times. Please greet him at the front door. He's not a hostile, yet. Treat him cautiously." And she closed off. Not even a breath later, another transmission was beeping through. Wasn't she the popular girl today?

 

With a sigh, she cracked her knuckles. This one felt . . . it felt odd. She didn't like it. Everything in her training, in her teachings, was telling her to beware. Flicking the button with the Force, she allowed a scowl to form on her lips. The Force was swirling, it was tense. She didn't like this. And that was before he even spoke.

 

"To the Sith Lord in control of this ship, the Ark is within your grasp...you will fail however, if you do not learn what it is...I can show you."

 

She froze even as the man spoke. How in the Gods names had these people found her? She was in the middle of no where! There had been nothing happening to bring attention to herself, she'd only been plotting and scheming! By the ancestors, what was going on? Was she in over her head? Setting her shoulders, Nalaen's eyes went cold. She would deal with this.

 

"I have no interest in the ark," she returned, her voice as glacial as the eyes he could not see. There was a chance this oddity would believe it, as it was half-truth. And she didn't need some stranger telling her what something was so she could use it. Her interest in it was purely scholarly, and what fun was it to have an ignorant, potential enemy, tell her what was supposedly what? She would not fail if she ever got this mythical ark in her possession anyway. There was no way the ancestors would ever allow her to touch something she knew nothing about. Last thing she wanted was pissed off spirits haunting and taunting her for the rest of her days.

 

Besides. Her official stance was that it didn't exist. Truly, she only wanted to know if it did. . . . But this . . . thing out there, hailing her, was technically confirming the ark's existance. Did she risk it than? Risk it all like Exuro had? Be the fool, fall into the trap of idiocy? No. She would not play that game. If she had wanted to play, she wouldn't have become the seperatist leader in the first place. All the facts, coupled with her unease and the violent tremours in the Force made her wary. Beyond wary. Suspicious. What trick was this?

[jokemaster]

The man swiftly piloted his ship into the flagship's hangar.

 

It was good that Naleen had been the one in charge. He'd helped her out before, she could afford to return the favor.

 

The ramp went down and he walked out. He was immediatly set upon by what seemed like an army.

 

"WHAT IN THE HELLS IS THIS?!" He exclaimed as the guards roughly threw him to the floor and searched him and his ship. "Tell whoever's in charge Nate Reynold's here!"

[Jin Phoenix]

Sourin cursed softly under his breath. He needed to flip that card. He needed to see what he was to face if he were ever to stop Exuro from reeping the benefits of another Ancient Artifact. He would not let the Rakatan technology be used again...he would send the Sith Lord another message.

 

"Your voice says otherwise. Without my help you lose the Sith and your life. With it you stand a chance for Ultimate Power...Would you rather Exuro had it?"

 

Sourin chuckeled after the communicay had been sent. The Sith had two weaknesses...Their power and their pride and he had just hit them both...hard. Sourin knew this was his last shot. The Sith would not let him live if they did not take him not so he directed 50% of the power supply to the boosters, he would need to fall to Korriban if they fired on him...He hoped he wouldn't have to.

[Blessèd Sith]

Nalaen had wanted to check out her "guest" herself and so was donned in her Sith Lord garb. It was most important to her to cover her face. Even if some knew she was female, it was best to not remind them of it. Sometimes fools had this inane notion that females couldn't lead as men could.

 

Approaching the hanger, she heard shouting. Sweeping through, she heard the name before she saw the man through the throng of men. "Tell whoever's in charge Nate Reynold's here!"

 

Her men separated immediately to allow her to sweep through. She studied Nate with a calculated look, then smiled underneath the cloth. "Nate. You must understand. A Sith Lord cannot take chances. Who was to say you weren't a hostile?" Her brow quirked almost humorously as he was slowly allowed back up. "Who's to say you aren't?" She waved all but the core group of soldiers away. "You are on my ship as a guest; do not take this lightly. Few are ever guests on a Sith flagship. Do not do something foolish and change your status. As it is, there will be an armoured guard with you at all times. This is for the protection of my people.” Approaching him, she studied his face. “I did not become Darth Taiasi by taking unnecessary chances. I can trust no one, especially when at war. And the Sith Empire is at war.” She smiled once more, it reaching somewhat into her eyes. “I have much to do at the moment. I would invite you to a private dinner, but my schedule is filled up at the moment. However, I will call on you tonight. Do be ready. Sith Lords do not enjoy being rebuked.” A feral grin, and this time, it definitely reached her eyes.

[starmark2k]

Exuro had finished reading the ancient writtings on the tomb wall, he smiled the most sinister grin. He had almost found the Ark it was on the planet, well in the planet, near the planets core to be more precise. This however also came with a disappointment, how would he get to the core and how could anyone even a sith lord survive the heat and gravity conditions down there. Exuro felt that the Ark was his destiny the reason for his life... The journey would not kill him, If he finds a way to the ark he will survive.

[jokemaster]

Nate grinned. "Congratulations on your promotion. So who are you up against now?"

[Writer]

"Loyalist Sith," Kira answered, coming up behind him. "What are pirates doing, chasing you to a Sith fleet? Do you have something they want?"

 

She bowed slightly to Nalaen.

[jokemaster]

"No, they just don't want to leave survivors. They took what they wanted already."

[Blessèd Sith]

Nalaen shook her head, then looked from her apprentice to Nate to her apprentice and back. What the hell . . .? Okay, what did Kira know that she didn't? Gods damn it, what was going on here?

 

"Alright, change of plans, children." She nodded to the armed guard. "Stationed outside my chambers. Now." Glancing back at Kira and Nate, she lowered the cloth. "What the hell is going on?!" Lifting her hand, she continued: "No, don't answer that now. Wait until we're in my chambers." Scowling and lifting the cloth back up, she stormed out of the hanger. At the doors, she paused and looked back to make sure they were two steps behind. Convinced that they were following, she lead them to her darkened chambers, the guards at the ready outside, just in case.

 

Heading to a tiny parlour-like room, Nalaen tossed off her robes and outer clothes then sat in a large chair. She glowered at the two. "Someone had better start speaking. Nate, either tell me what's going on, or I'll use anthropomancy to figure it out!" She turned to Kira. "And what of the information you're to tell me?"

 

 

(((Anthropomancy: Divination by examining the entrails of a person during a sacrifice or slaughter)))

[Writer]

((Nice threat ))

 

Kira tossed a datapad on a nearby table and pointed at it. "That's the information about Exuro's fleet."

 

She fell silent for a moment. "I ran into Exuro himself on Korriban. He demanded information on my findings... I told him that the Ark is located near enough to the core of Korriban that the heat would cause severe discomfort." She smiled slightly. "But that is not the truth. If he spent any serious time reading the walls I looked at, he will find nothing but babbling or a deranged madman about the Ark, Korriban's core, and nerf herders."

 

"I can only conclude that the Ark is not actually on Korriban," she finished. "It seems it's hidden somewhere on a planet I've never heard of... Dagobah. Don't worry." She held up a data disk. "I've taken any evidence of that fact with me. There is nothing remaining that states that on Korriban."

[Blessèd Sith]

(((Danke XD)))

 

Nalaen scooped up the datapad and scanned it even as she listened to Kira. A smile formed on her lips. This would definately help with the hit and fade . . . Lifting her head up, she pursed her lips slightly.

 

"Nerf herders? Promise me if I ever get to that point you'll kill me and take over." She grinned lop-sidedly. "So you tricked him? I really hope he takes the bait. It'll be entertaining to watch him struggle to . . ." here she giggled, "to the core?!" She threw her head back and laughed, probably frightening the guards in the hall. "That's devine, Kira." Settling, she asked about the second bit of intel: "And dagobah?" She glanced at Nate. "But we'll figure out the niggling details later." Crossing her arms, she studied her guest yet again. "Tell me, why are you here?"

[jokemaster]

Nate had gone pale.

"I was escaping an ambush............from Dagobah."

[Jin Phoenix]

(Open communicay to Nalean...kinda stuck till I'm acknowledged...)

[Blessèd Sith]

(((Omgs! I'm so sorry Jin babycakes ^_____^ I totally missed your post! I dunno how . . . I'll work it in . . .)))

 

Once again Nalaen was looking back and forth between Nate and her apprentice. "This is too bloody weird. Then again, with the Force at work . . . nothing is as it seems, is it?" Studying the area, she reached towards the small black table beside her chair and waved her hand over it. The glossy top folded back, revealing a series of buttons and small holograph screen. Pressing one of the buttons, she smiled at the pair. "Drinks?" she wondered, knowing a servant would be up with refreshments nearly instantaneously. "I want research done. Everything there is to know about Dagobah. Nate, tell us everything that happened to you. You may have got too close to something you weren't supposed to see, and didn't even realise it. Everything you remember, tell me."

 

There was a slight nudging in the back of her mind; a split second later, she heard the beep. The comlink at her desk was going off. Again. Standing with a sigh, she looked to Kira, nodded inperceptably towards Nate, then smiled. "There is business I must attend to. I will be right back." Striding from the small room, she entered her main chamber and sat at the desk. Hitting the button, she growled and again, before she could speak, a voice came through. The same voice. The unease returned.

 

"Your voice says otherwise. Without my help you lose the Sith and your life. With it you stand a chance for Ultimate Power...Would you rather Exuro had it?"

 

"You're in an interesting position to tell me about my life," she responded wryly. "And the Sith will always rise again. Besides," she continued aloofly, "ultimate power has to come from the self, or else it is not ultimate, it is borrowed." But his last words gave her pause. She sat back in her chair and steepled her fingers, tapping her lower lip. What was this ark? Was it even an ancient Dark Side artifact? Was it Force related at all? Who said it wasn't some bomb, or prototype hyperspace engine or something? From the years laying dormant, it would absorb resonant Force energies. That, coupled with the energies it absorbed through its life from the culture and peoples around it, could give the impression of being a Force related artifact. However, if Exuro was right and it was something powerful, she didn't want a weakling such as him with so much power. The weak in states of grandeur was never a good idea.

 

But Exuro knew nothing about this ark. He was willing to believe it was buried deep underneath Korriban's surface. With so little to go on, he had uprooted the Sith, potentially destroying them. What if this "ark" destroyed everthing Force related that got near it? Or was a bust? Or was a myth or rumour? She had no problems with the existence (or not) of the ark, but it was his methods she abhored.

 

Finally, she spoke. "Why," she articulated slowly, her eyes narrowing, "are you offering your aid? What do you have to gain from me receiving this so-called-ark, rather than Exuro? Why does it matter to you? Furthermore, what could you know about it that would supposedly benefit me?"

[jokemaster]

When the drinks arrived Nate took his, and sipped it, waiting for Naleen to come back.

[starmark2k]

((Hey! whats with the all Vs me attitude here.))

 

Exuro was on the bridge of the flames of exuro holding a datapad in his hand, a dark jedi knelled before him. "Is this information accurate?" Exuro asked the dark jedi.

 

"Aye my lord i discovered it myself." The dark jedi answered still not rising his head. Exuro continued studing the information. It showed the women he spoke to earlier in the tombs stepping out os thin air and then a second recording of her walking into the same air and disappearing. One of his former apprentises spies no doubt and also the one who gave him the information on korriban. He crushed the datapad with his hand and tossed it aside.

 

"Scan the area for any mysterious reading, i want to know where she went." Exuro ordered as he left the bridge.

[jokemaster]

Nate finally asked.

"What's this ark thing, anyway?"