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Author Topic: Interludes  (Read 144814 times)
Lord_S_Gray
Knight Commander
*

Force Alignment: 428
Posts: 1903



« Reply #450 on: June 15, 2022, 12:47:50 AM »

Hymra’s Story — Chapter 5
Part 3

>>>Years later>>>>>
It was an unusually humid evening, the thick monsoonal rain pounding the transparisteel, the waterfalls cascading down the mesa side outside his office gushing torrents that obscured the otherwise vibrant lattice work of the rock strata and inundated the flora of Aestis minor that surrounded Eurydice base..

Reading over the dozens of scrawled messages and tips Scrubber ‘felt’ the presence of Black Armour. The silent titan standing over him dropped a folio onto the desk, then as swift as the night vanished again.

Strange behaviour - even for his Enforcer - Scrubber flicked through the folio. 

Old Republic documents, over-stamped with Imperial Authenticators and signature blocks indicating the documents were from the months immediately following the Proclamation of the Galactic Empire.

It was an after action report of the Venator Class Destroyer Trident en-route form the Outer Rim sieges to re-enforce the Core…he knew that name…that was the Flagship of the Assault force that had abandoned Hymra Naro so many years before.

With unconcealed disgust on his face he flicked through the unredacted and unedited Captain’s log as it was reassigned to secure the Corellian Run’s far end, there was little of interest for days until…

A regular stop and search of a Zygerrian vessel, Clone Troopers inspecting the ship for contraband weapons and Sepratist refugees recognized some members of the ‘cargo’ as members of the Tridents former task force from the abandoned siege of Vkmin. 

A list of names of ‘personnel recovered’ before the Zygerrians were sent on their way.
In simple typeset were half a dozen names under the bold heading of 63rd Shili Volunteer Engineering Corps

Syffa Hotos

With a gasp he realized he had been holding his breath. 

Oxygen flooded back in, wet and sweltering but fulfilling his basic needs as a deep weight lifted from his shoulders, and for but a moment Hymra Naro could smile once more, Syffa had been rescued, a shard of doubtful fear so long lodged in his heart became a crystal of pure hope.

No longer would he wonder with each raid if he would see her, no longer would he do a double take with each Togrutian he saw, no longer would he walk the corridors of a slave hauler, or the dusty streets of a market and wonder if she had been there and he had missed her by an hour, a year, a decade.

Hymra Naro had loved Syffa, not in a romantic manner but an adoring uncle, an older brother - he had been nearly 40 then, she barely twenty the embodiment of youthful verve, so much more alive than he had been a career engineer with no family or friends to speak of, plodding in the muck of the trenches of the Clone wars. He idolized her like a sacred virgin, to think anything awful had befallen her as it had him would’ve been soul crushing.

He closed the folio and placed it, and the last of his life as Hymra Naro, to the side, certain it would vanish by morning.

Exactly what he had asked for himself, his allies had provided, and for that Scrubber would always be grateful.

With renewed vigour he began drawing up plans for the next raid.
…..
…..
…..
By the time morning broke with the sun peaking through thick black clouds Scrubber was asleep on a small lounge away from the desk. 

A Dark figure silently moved to take the folio back, feeling the Torgrutan sleeping contentedly for the first time in more than twenty years.

Not even four Aethans over six months of vicious, mind ravaging Force interrogation could discover what had become of Syffa Hotos after being sold on Zyggeria to a nameless buyer for cash.

And so a small, but crucial, lie, to add a single name to an old report taken from a dusty archive and set Hymra Naro fully to rest so that Scrubber could lead the movement that would provide the People with a steady source of fanatically loyal and thankful workers to staff their mines and factories in the decades to come.

Hymra’s story was now over.  Scrubbers had begun.

<<<<>>>>
The Beginning
<<<<<>>>>
Logged

Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

TheDutchman
Knight Commander
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Force Alignment: 1106
Posts: 4131


Avatar courtesy of For Tyeth


« Reply #451 on: June 19, 2022, 11:50:29 PM »

Interesting juxtaposition for Scrubber/Hymra here: between the long, hard fought reputation and growth of the Sons, we see how allies new and old really influence the man that he'll become.  With Anwai, far from being a victim of circumstance, he is precisely the jealous shell that imperils his former comrades, the laser-guided karma which he receives from Black Armor is almost cathartic.  But it demonstrates a fundamental difference in Scrubber/Hymra in that whatever Anwai stood for prior to his self-expulsion from the Sons, he is driven by his resentment and rage instead of channeling it towards the Sons' ultimate goals of liberty.  A sad conclusion to be sure...but also one of his own making.

Scrubber also shows just how dangerous he can be: we see now the root of the Sons' policy to "strip&space" those that are deemed guilty.  A good nod, that.

But most importantly is the Sons' alliance to the Aethans.  From the Sons' POV, it seems almost that the Black Armors have a Life Debt (and perhaps to a point they do).  Of course, from the Aethan mindset, they see their "friends" as "a steady source of fanatically loyal and thankful workers to staff their mines and factories in the decades to come."  Aethan pragmatism to be sure^^

On a more serious note--and regardless of actual Aethan intentions--Scrubber's final transition from Hymra is complete thanks to the white lie provided by his allies.  As with all issues, there is a multifaceted drama where the lie OR the truth is the "right thing to do."  At least for Scrubber, the horrors of the unknown that Syffa suffered were put to rest.  And as unfortunate as it is, it is a very, VERY realistic outcome: despite the vast powers of the Aethans, there are just certain things in the galaxy that are lost in the fog of time.

Meta-note: INCREDIBLY moving; this is the origin that I'd been looking forward to since we'd done "The Gray&the Unchained."  And, true to form, it's as heartbreaking as it is exciting.  Scrubber is SUCH an interesting character, one that I'm glad that LSG chose to expand upon^^

Looking forward to seeing more of our favorite Slaver-hunters  Wink
Logged

Sig courtesy of DarthScrub

Cataphract Triarch of the Vhal'Dan

My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

TheDutchman
Knight Commander
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Force Alignment: 1106
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Avatar courtesy of For Tyeth


« Reply #452 on: June 20, 2022, 11:09:42 PM »

Special thanks to For Tyeth for the art assist  Smiley
**************************************

A Triumvirate's Tale-Relics Of the Sith, part I

On a nameless moon of a nameless planet hidden in a nameless star cluster approximately 23.7 parsecs from the terminus of the Corellian Run Hyperlane, Darkside Executor Kintik walked carefully across the barren, rocky anticline.  Regardless of the night, the planet's other moons reflected the local starlight, illuminating the small lake that had been completely hidden from orbit.  Wrapped in his black robes and armor, he appeared as part of the rugged terrain, the numerous jutting rock formations casting countless shadows across the land.  His lips turned upwards at the corners of his mouth, giving the briefest of smiles.

Finally, the destination that he was looking for.

He'd spent the better part of the last two years studying the ancient tomes, achieving a fluency in High Sith that even most xenolinguists would envy.  As such, he'd finally been able to unravel some of the lone surviving works given to him by his Lord Sidious, data repositories that hinted at ancient Sith powers.

However, just who or what those might be were as vague as the original texts themselves; High Sith was confusing under the best of circumstances and, while adept, Kintik was far from mastering the language.  There were too many false cognates, too many colloquialisms, for exact translations.

That was what had taken him this long to find this place.  And even now as he scrutinized the locale of the land, he fought the creeping uncertainty crawling up his spine.

No, he silently reaffirmed.  This must be the place...

Silently breathing through his nose, Kintik's eyes surveyed the oasis in front of him: the rocky landscape had been shaped by millennia of wind and water erosion, creating a giant, shallow bowl with several natural giant stile stabbing skywards through the ground.  In the center, a lake reflected the light of the planet and other moons but was otherwise as black as the rock strata surrounding him.  Hidden along the sides, there were many black holes in the canyon's walls, some could possibly be caves and not just a trick of the shadows.

But of any trace of sentient habitation, there was none.  Still, looks could be deceiving...

...And... He idly pondered, ...my Emperor cautioned that many caches could still be Guarded...  He didn't even consider the implications that the Guardian or he could be killed in a confrontation; after all, his Lord Sidious encouraged his acolytes to such contests.

Only the strongest deserved to survive.

Such was the way of the Dark Side.  But if Kintik was concerned, his long face displayed nothing: not worry, not anticipation, not excitement.  No emotion whatsoever.  But what he felt was entirely different...

Reaching to his belt, he pulled out two Searchers.  Activating them, he casually flung them up, their antigrav engines kicking in.  Speeding off, they quickly surveyed the landscape, their inboard algorithms deducing the most likely locations for possible cave entrances.  All pertinent information was instantly relayed back to the internal optical HUD in his left eyeball.

After a minute, he saw what he was looking for: a cave opening, one that was further obfuscated by the twisting eroded canyon wall.  Carefully, he made his way towards the cave mouth.

It was only when he was within a few meters of the opening that Kintik realized that the opening led not so much into a cave but rather an enormous amphitheater of enclosed rock, the andesite sparkling in the moonlight to create a soft illumination throughout the chamber.  Like a ghost, he glided into the cave, his Force-enhanced senses alert.

It took only a moment by he was able to locate his objective: a stasis box dating back to the original Sith.  According to the High Sith texts, what he sought would be found within one of the boxes.  What that was precisely, he had only the vaguest of references of a "power multiplier," whatever that may be.  Still, it would be a prize especially poignant given that Lord Sidious had experienced his Final Death on Onderon.  If only the tomes had not been so circumspect...

Kintik suddenly froze, his Force-sense warning him of danger.

Focusing on the box, he did not stir, his mind racing.  But he could sense nothing, nothing at all from the stasis box.  That in and of itself wasn't odd; after all, a stasis box prevented even the ravages of time from touching the contents.  No, it was that the box itself was already open.

...What the hell...?

This was unexpected.  Wrapping himself in the Dark Side, Kintic silently opened the stasis box the rest of the way.  Whatever had been within, clearly it had been taken.

But that did not mean that there was nothing to be gleaned here.

Focusing, he directed flows of the Force in and around the stasis box, meanwhile keeping alert of his surroundings.  After a few moments, he began to "see" glimpses.

Psychometry.

One of the innate gifts that he possessed, courtesy of a Kiffar grandparent.  And that was about all that he knew of his pedigree; the rest was dross.  Besides, the only "parent" that he'd actually known was his Lord Sidious.

Gritting his teeth, he burned those thoughts away.  What did it matter where or from whom he came from?  He had power and that was what counted.  Divesting himself of such distractions, Kintik concentrated on the task at hand.

Images coalesced, cloudy and unrecognizable at first the further back in time he sensed but soon began to yield more concrete "memories."  There was a hand--ruddy, almost light red with black nails--gently touching the box.  Other hands, these young, dark, and powerful, grabbed the box, stowing it in a shuttle.  The blue of a hyperspace tunnel bathed the box.  Again, hands, young but different, collected the box, bringing it to a land full of rocks...

Time flowed forward.

The box, carried once again by yet more different hands, finally settled into its resting place, the same as it was now.  But...but...yes...something...

Kintik's breath caught in his throat.

Those hands...they opened the box, withdrawing...something.  Something hidden even from his Psychometry.  But before the lid was closed...

He sensed all of this in the space between seconds, his eyes opening wide with understanding.  Reflexively, he formed a Shield to protect himself, simultaneously igniting his lightsaber. 

Two things happened at once: Kintik's Force Kinetite Shield pushed the silent dioxin gas away while his red blade barely intercepted the vibroblade trap, the edge of the weapon stopping mere centimeters from his head.  He sensed more than saw other blades cutting towards him, too many to deflect... He drew deeply from the Dark Side, exploding into action.

With speed born from the Force, he escaped from the amphitheater, not trusting that those were the only traps.  Besides, he'd kept his senses expanded the entire time, once again thankful for his Lord's tutelage.

He was no longer alone.

"You may dispense with the Shroud; I see you now." He said quietly, seemingly speaking into the empty bowl-like chamber.  Black robes falling from his armored shoulders he took up an aggressive stance, his lightsaber at the ready.

As if stepping from the air itself, the dark, lithe form of a woman materialized precisely where his gray-yellow eyes stared.  Even in the moonlight, he could tell that the woman's vulpine features were attractive, her dark hair obscuring half of her face.  In each hand was an ignited lightsaber, the red blades matching his own.  And although she stared intently at him, she remained silent.

"I am Imperial Executor Kintik." His tone broached no argument.  "I speak with the authority of our Master, Darth Sidious.  Surrender the artifact to me."  He softened his voice, wondering if she would take the bait.  "Your task is now complete."

The woman did not move, save her full lips when she finally spoke.  "I am the Emperor's Hand and Guardian.  It is by his word alone that I can discharge my duty."  Her yellow eyes flashed.  "You are an interloper.  I shall deal with your confederates once you are dead."  She gestured with one of her blades towards the shadowed hulls of the two Imperial II-class Star Destroyers now visible in the night sky.

Unsurprisingly, the Gehenna was all but invisible.  ...Focus... He reminded himself, pondering the woman's defiance.

In truth, Kintik expected nothing less.  "You shall join with the Dark Side today."  He saluted her, adopting an easy stance before exploding into movement, closing the ten-meter distance in a blink of an eye. 

The woman did not wait; she too attacked.  Meeting Kintik, her blades slammed into his, three crimson lightsabers in furious motion.  Kintik had to admit that she was good, very good.  Her two blades seemed to be everywhere at once, pressing his defenses hard.  And on no less than two occasions was he saved from grievous injury only by virtue of his armor.  He held no doubts: she was at least as good as he was.

Back and forth across the rocky ground they fought, deep burnt burrows wherever their blades slashed through the floor and walls.  Neither spoke despite both being proficient in Dun Möch. 

They both knew that it would do no good against their opponent.

Under the reflected light of the two moons and planet, both combatants hammered away at one another, several Force Pushes causing rocks knocked loose from the anticlines to fall.  Both sets of eyes seemed to glow, Kintik's hazel-gray turning yellow as a result of his Dark Side usage.  Still, they were too well evenly matched for either one to gain the upper hand.

Suddenly, both of Kintik's Searchers attacked the woman.  Undauntedly, she quickly dispatched them with both of her lightsabers, turning back to Kintik, fully expecting to face a surprised opponent.  Her eyes widened when she realized that he was no longer standing where he expected.  Using the distraction as well as his Force-enhanced reflexes, he was able to flank her while she was busy defending against the Searcher drones.  Before she could react, Kintik locked one of her blades up with his, his opposite hand empty...

Until his own vibroknife flew from its sheath to his left hand where he then plunged the blade deep between her armor and raised arm and into her heart.  Dropping her sabers from now lifeless hands, the Guardian crumpled to ground.

But before her head hit the floor, Kintik grabbed the woman's neck, Delving her as he opened himself up once again to his Psychometry.  He needed her memory, especially before death had taken her for too long.

It was a dangerous procedure when used on the dead, one that was vehemently discouraged by the Jedi Council.  But Kintik was no Jedi.  As such, he held no compunctions whatsoever.  No, he merely wished to do away with the tedium of dealing with the violent emotions almost always associated with a death-Psychometry reading.

After a moment, he relaxed.  With renewed conviction and now exact knowledge of each trap within the amphitheater, he revisited the chamber where the stasis box lay.  Ignoring it, Kintik stepped up to an innocuous spot on the near wall, one bathed in the moonlight.  With deft fingers, he pressed two unremarkable stones simultaneously, producing an audible click.  What looked like a patch of rock strata swiveled open, the seams previously invisible.  Reaching in, the Darkside Executor withdrew an object wrapped in old but maintained synthcloth.

Opening the cloth, Kintik scrutinized the object, feeling both elation and frustration.  He let out a held breath, questions inundating his mind.  Thankfully, he knew to whom he could turn for assistance.

Without a backwards glance, he left the bowl-like depression, the lifeless body of the Guardian left to rot like the husk it was.  As his TIE Defender rose into the night, it suddenly sped forth through the stratosphere, soon on a vector with the completely black enormous hole in the sky, Kintik's destination.

His home, the midnight-black star dreadnaught 35 kilometers from stem-to-stern.

The Gehenna.

          <<<<<>>>>>
Logged

Sig courtesy of DarthScrub

Cataphract Triarch of the Vhal'Dan

My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

TheDutchman
Knight Commander
*

Force Alignment: 1106
Posts: 4131


Avatar courtesy of For Tyeth


« Reply #453 on: June 20, 2022, 11:10:24 PM »


A Triumvirate's Tale-Relics Of the Sith, part II

As far as private staterooms went, the space was surprisingly comfortable and informal.  To one side was a wall dedicated to the admiral's Imperial successes as well as some personal pieces: a delicate Chandrillian vase, a redstone depiction of some ancient unnamed goddess, and even a rare Anzati fixed-blade tanto, the metal still sharp after millennia.  Perpendicular to the display on the other wall was an incredibly detailed holomap of the galaxy.  Highlighted was the area of the galactic east known as "The Slice."  On the opposite wall, a floor-to-ceiling transparaquadranium window looked out from the mid-line location of the Gehenna's bridge superstructure, the entirety of the black triangular hull & axial superlaser consuming the view to the respective horizon.  But it was the fourth wall that presented various curiosities that looked almost incongruous in the state-of-the-art star dreadnaught: there were several ancient analogue "computers," abacuses, and devices with exposed innards, the myriad gears, cams, and shafts giving the viewer insight to the machine's complications.

Such was indicative of the owner of the stateroom and her hobbies.

Yet despite that, there were several comfortable aircouches and chairs casually arranged around various repulsor tables, service droids providing many refreshments as they silently went about their tasks.  The stateroom could easily seat 20 people, be they diplomats, flag-officers, or other high-ranking officials.

For now three people were seated together, the only ones currently in the room.

"From your presence, I take it that you were successful, Kintik?" A clear voice asked belonging to a man of average height, his dark olive uniform impeccable, the six red and six blue squares of his insignia easily reflecting the soft light.  Despite his height, Moff Nomar Ghent was many things, but only fools thought him "average."  His piercing blue eyes bespoke of the man's intelligence, his highly polished boots of his temperament, and the ease with which he seemed to command every situation he encountered his assertiveness.  He was not a person to be taken lightly.

Of course, this was true for all three of the room's occupants.

"Yes." Kintik's voice was contemplative, the tall, lithe Epicanthix/human hybrid displayed his usual stoicism.  "And no."  Absently, the tall man traced the lined edges of his lightsaber pommel, the object of his scrutiny placed in the center of the table.  Even now his frustration plagued him.

"Come now, Kintik.  It's unlike you to be so coy." Another strong voice pierced Kintik's introspection, this time belonging to a woman.  Like Ghent, her spotless olive uniform was Imperial standard.  On it she also wore an insignia; however, instead of twin rows of 6 blue&red squares, there were 5 red squares and 1 yellow atop 6 blue, indicative of her appointment as the battlegroup's military leader.  Fleet Admiral Sarna Mercet wasn't short but nevertheless seemed to loom large over everyone who found themselves in the same room as her.  Much like her two colleagues Moff Ghent and Executor Kintik, she radiated professionalism and competence. 

However, when they three were alone they were able to dispense with the formalities, a shared respect that bordered on friendship evident in their tones, posture, and language.  Of course among everyone else, they were each the definitive representatives of the Empire, absolute in their authority within their respective purviews: civilian, military, and Darkside, respectively.

But alone amongst each other, they were relaxed.

"What I found was...unexpected."  With a flick of the Force, Kintik pulled the synthcloth covering away, revealing the object in question.  It was roughly pyramidal shaped with several ports as if to incorporate datanodes or cables.  All four surfaces seemed to glow with an inner green light, each edge gilded with Kathol resin.

"What is it?" Ghent asked, his eyebrow arched in curiosity, Mercet silently crossing her arms across her narrow chest.

"This is a Sith wayfinder." Kintik looked pointedly from the moff to the admiral and back again.  Using the Force, he called the wayfinder to his hand.  As he did so, the colors within coalesced from a light green to a darker hue.  Plugging a coaxial cable into the dataport, he rested the pyramid back onto the table.  Shortly, five holographic columns consisting of nine rows of red numerals projected from within the device, each line 16 digits.  There was no discernible pattern that Kintik could deduce, saying as much to his two colleagues.  "Any ideas?" He asked, sincerely at a loss.

Ghent's brow furrowed in thought, his finger and thumb of his right hand unconsciously stroking his mustache while his left hand held one of the four message cylinders that usually decorated his uniform.  "...Nothing that I can thi--" He sat straighter in his chair.  "What is it, Sarna?" He asked the woman.

She was staring intently at the holographic number groups, her fingers lightly dancing over her knuckles.  Kintik recognized it as a mental mnemonic, usually utilized for 4th dimensional calculus.  Not for the first time was he impressed by Admiral Sarna Mercet.

Slowly she answered.  "...I believe that they are galactic quantum coordinates."  She pointed to one of the groups.  "Yes, if I'm reading this correctly, each group is representative of a particular galactic location, five total."  She looked at both of her colleagues.  "The first three of the nine lines represent dimensional planer positions; the last six are the corresponding quantum bearings." She explained.

Both men nodded appreciatively.

"Interesting.  Thank you, admiral." Kintik dipped his chin respectfully.

"Impressive, Sarna." Ghent gently wrapped his knuckles on the table in applause.

She gracefully if wordlessly accepted their compliments before continuing.  "While this is conjecture, I want to be certain.  I'll need an expert slicer to precisely analyze the quantum algorithms to pinpoint the locations and, unfortunately, this will take some time."  She turned to Kintik.  "How 'secret' does this need to remain?"

Kintik thought a moment.  "No one outside this room should know anything more than what we decide to tell them, of course."  He considered the slicer that the admiral would use...and rejected the idea to liquidate them upon completion.  "However, once we arrive at these coordinates, it will undoubtably spread throughout the fleet.  Thankfully, our Emperor clearly choose his people for this assignment bearing such in mind." He thought aloud. 

"Then we are in agreement." Ghent said, the ghost of a question in his tone.  Almost simultaneously they nodded.  Kintik rose from his chair, walking idly towards the wall decorated with a multitude of cultural oddities.  But his thoughts had turned inward, seeing none of the curios.

While the moff and admiral spoke more concerning the fleet's affairs, Kintik allowed himself a rare time of unmolested introspection.  Just what was it that could be hidden at these locations?  Did his Lord Sidious know?  And just how much had his master not told him?  The Emperor had been exceedingly careful--borderline paranoid some thought--in his plans...yet he still had not foreseen his Final Death.

Or had he?

It was an interesting notion, one that better minds than Kintik's had attempted to contemplate.  After all, the Force was often used to see into the future...but almost always creating more questions than answers.

Nevertheless, he would do his duty to his Lord Sidious and his Empire.  Perhaps the answers would make themselves known once the enigma of the wayfinder had been cracked.  Either way, Kintik placed his faith in the Dark Side.

As such, he gave a final thought to his opponent, the cache's Guardian.  He neither lamented nor basked in her death; she was simply an obstacle to be removed.  She had done her duty as he had his.

He would find his answers, and the Dark Side would guide him.

Turning, he rejoined his colleagues, preparing for the next step in the tasks given specifically to them.

Ensure the survival and propagation of the Empire.

Logged

Sig courtesy of DarthScrub

Cataphract Triarch of the Vhal'Dan

My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

Lord_S_Gray
Knight Commander
*

Force Alignment: 428
Posts: 1903



« Reply #454 on: June 21, 2022, 12:05:10 AM »

What an interlude, exceptional details in the descriptions of the locale, characters and the atmosphere, a place as cold and hard as Kintik himself it seems, and wow what an opening image brilliantly done For!  In the fallout from the Emperors second death in the EU Dark Empire saga, a former hand and Elite at odds over an object of deep mystery pointing to something their former master had an interest in, but then Sidious had a great interest in many things necessitating such servants to be where he could not be. The Guardian fought well, but not quite well enough, one suspects the difference was simply Kintik had more motivation as he is pursuing something, the guardian defending an object for a master now gone.

This Triumvirate seems very stable amidst the fragmentation of the Empire elsewhere, likely knowing they can only maintain their positions with each others support. Still they are true to the Empires cause even if the Emperor is dead, and share some of its more unedifying culture notably - "He considered the slicer that the admiral would use...and rejected the idea to liquidate them upon completion" considering that at all shows they are still very cutthroat.

Regardless they have a very set goal, and see this way finder as pointing toward (their version?) of the Empires future...and perhaps they are in luck, this curio has likely been forgotten by others with more immediate concerns of establishing their territory and resources, the triumvirate seeming already secure is better able than most to pursue what others might consider a flight of fancy, Kintik is lucky in that his fellow Triumvirate members are willing to trust in his Dark Side insight...no doubt for their own reasons yet to be explored.

Really keen to read what happens next!
Logged

Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

For Tyeth
Knight Commander
*

Force Alignment: 1557
Posts: 3046


I Survive through the Force.


« Reply #455 on: June 21, 2022, 05:10:16 AM »

Hi Dutch and LSG,

To be honest Dutch meant that I changed the colour of the three lightsabers in the picture - just a 5 minute photo-editing job  if that! But thanks for the shout out anyway.

No, what needs to be mentioned, is the vivid and immersive descriptions and imagination Dutch has in this story. I'll be honest (again) and say I'm not an avid reader as I'm usually busy with "real life" or designing sabers....but I had a few spare hours and got to enjoy his writing here.

I'm hoping to get a copy of the "Complete Works" of this story when available, as I find it hard to scroll through a topic to read  (and concentrate on) various chapters in separate posts....I wanna read the whole book from first to last sentence!

Thanks Dutch.
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TheDutchman
Knight Commander
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Force Alignment: 1106
Posts: 4131


Avatar courtesy of For Tyeth


« Reply #456 on: July 04, 2022, 12:04:50 AM »

Special thanks to LSG for his incredible map-making skills!  This interlude is dedicated to him  Smiley
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Interlude-A Bit of Anzat History

Author's Notes: While the following contain excerpts from original tomes dating back circa 11,500BBY, I've compiled the information into more modern lexicon, verbiage, and colloquialisms (the original being completely alien to the modern galactic citizen).  Additionally, I would be remiss in mentioning that much of this has not been independently verified as outsiders are forbidden from actually visiting Anzat Prime and can only dock with the many orbital spaceports navigating in geostationary low orbit above the planet.  As this writer can attest, any non-Anzat who makes planetfall has never been seen or heard from again.  As such, this collection is dedicated to my assistant, Koawan Dirmot T'taryk with whom I worked with tirelessly over the last year.  May the Maker speed him to his rest (he shall be missed).  

Well, my dreams are finally realized: with the assured ratification at the Vhal'Dan Congress, this shall hopefully become the seminal work of the ancient Anzati anywhere (copies have been tight-beamed via Holonet to the repositories at Sekot, M'Tzigon, the Templar Archives as well as a secret encrypted databundle to the Celebratus Archive at Obroa-skai for posterity's sake).

Again, my thanks to the Vhal'Dan Institute of Paleohistory and especially Master Gray Kazic Ovarug for providing me with the resources as well as the impetus for my research.  I am indebted to them more than I could ever possibly express.  Nevertheless, I have learned a fundamental truth, again courtesy of Master Ovarug (and forgive my horrible Anzati): "D'jeht sien kyrorl eshtu scqeun; Kyrorl sien d'jeht eshtu nfveras's" or "Vision without action is a dream.  Action without vision is a nightmare."
-Maenowan Kqrees Kqryl Kqrov, Assistant Chair of Paleohistory, University of Kewda, Kewd'Ulhadv


Map of Anzat Prime during the time of the Seigniory Discord c.12,000BBY

Origins
During what turned out to be the final years of The Infinite Empire, the planet that came to be known as "Anzat Prime" and its ubiquitous indigenous species were finally as one, a global solidarity that presented a united front against the harsh-but-dying Rakatan government.  As a result, the Empire was finally overthrown--the overlords killed to a being--by the vast contingent of the Anzat collective.  This in itself was remarkable as the indigenous race had been HIGHLY stratified by an durasteel-clad caste system that had endured for millennia; that they would put aside such concerns to fight off their Rakatan oppressors is indicative of their convictions to end foreign rule.  Within the span of mere years, the Rakata had been completely expelled, either by barely escaping off-planet or massacred in the persistent global genocide, leaving Anzat Prime totally free of the now-defunct Infinite Empire.

By 25,100BBY, Anzat Prime (although it was not yet called that) was completely under the control of the indigenous species.  Having established a centralized district as a means of rebellion against the Rakata, the now-infamous city/state of Azzheri became the de-facto global capital, representatives from all castes were welcome, even going as so far as to establish an Echelonik Regency to assure societal equity.  

For the first time, the indigenous species had a global nationalist identity, one that became the Evokation, as in "to evoke memories."  It is from this last that arose Anzat society, including and especially the metaphysical phenomena which came to be known as "the Silent Voices" (also known as the "Sea of Memory" where the Ancient Anzati believed that these were the life essences of their ancestors).  

Sadly, this distinction was later lost amidst the Great Sith War when both Sith and Jedi sought Anzat membership to strengthen their respective sides, when most Anzat finally left their homeplanet (approximately 95-99% of the entire Anzat race abandoning Anzat Prime altogether).  And so it remains unto this day almost 4,000 years later.

But it was not this diaspora (referred to as "The Foundering") that was resultant of the Anzat's victory over the Rakata.  Unfortunately, without a principle threat to unify the populace, they soon fell into old patterns, making war unto each other.  So began the longest period of Anzat Prime's history, the conflict known as "The Seigniory Discord."

The Seigniory Discord
Until the the Great Manifest Period of the Galactic Republic, the Anzat had yet to leave their homeplanet.  From the Breaking of the Infinite Empire, the Anzat became embroiled in the global-spanning Seigniory Discord (also called the Wars of Dominion).  For the next 13,000, the populace was engaged in a virtually constant state of warfare, a time in which all inventions were created with one end in mind: to win against one's opponent.  And while this did help to propel the populace into the future, the cause of the war itself was as old as the galaxy: partisanship.

Castes
As previously stated, the indigenous race were striated along rigid social groups, or "castes."  There were 5 castes (from highest to lowest): mare-, vel-, bas-, seda-, and druf-.  One was born into their caste, with virtually no movement between them (there were exceedingly rare instances of moving up a caste but they were few and very far between).  Anzat caste-titles were always listed between their given name (first) and their family name (last).  For the purpose of our example, I asked Master Gray Kazic Ovarug if he would allow us the use of his genealogy for an exemplar: he would be known properly as Kazic vel-Ovarug (as a personal aside, one got the impression that he himself never used the archaic form, regardless of having at least a perfunctory knowledge of its use).

One's caste was more than their family, their station, or their profession; it was their life.  And while one could always improve their lot in life, social interactions ultimately boiled down to one's pedigree; this was certainly true when it came to the over-arching (and almost feudal) ranks of EVERY large House, called a "Kinde" or "Kindes."  In fact, one's caste could determine one's rank (and almost always did).

Rank
In the Evokation, there existed a highly hierarchical structure of rankings.  These were idiosyncratic to Anzat Prime, utilized nowhere else in the galaxy.  Here's the list of Anzati ranks (along with its galactic equivalent) from highest to lowest:
Capugío-King
Clucír-Duke
Sazír-Marquis
Spodír-Count
Vorníc-Baron
Voíer-Lord

*note: It should be mentioned that immediately following the Anzat expulsion of the Rakata, the position of "Emperor" was also available; it's actually the origin of the name of the species as we know them today.  To wit, "Anzat" (or rather, the original pronunciation of "Anzít") meant "Emperor."  But everyone who fought in the early years of the Seigniory Discord started calling themselves "Anzat [name]."  So when the Outlanders arrived from space soon afterwards, they just assumed that was the species name and it stuck.

Now the castes were used in conjunction with the actual noble title, again with "Capugio" being the highest.  Members of every caste save druf- could hold any title from "Boíer/Lord" up to and including "Sazír-Marquis."  However, only those belonging to the mare- and vel- castes could petition for/claim investiture of the office of Capugio (often stylized as "the Evokator-Premé).  This led to an almost unbroken time of genocide of the vel-caste which lasted 1,600 years.  So, to use the previous example of Master Gray Ovarug, his ancestor(s) were Barons/Vorníc; therefore, his full cognomen would be "Kazic vel-Ovarug, Vorníc of the Anzat Evokation" OR "Vorníc Kazic vel-Ovarug of the Silent Voices."

As one can see, it is truly unfortunate that such a rich culture was lost amidst the barbity that thousands of years of virtually unbroken warfare caused.  But as horrific as the Seigniory Discord was, there arose a more dangerous and worse affair that effectively ground the War to a halt:

The Soup-Kuru.

Animopophagy & the Soup-Kuru
Before I begin, I must first digress a moment.

The Anzat have always been able to feed upon other sentients' life/Force energies, colloquially called "the Soup."  During the time of Rakatan Occupation, through the Expulsion and the Seigniory Discord, and even to the present day, the Anzati lived alongside a servitor race of sentients called Lek'un.  These fairly docile humanoids possessed a genetic memory in their single, large lekku, performing hereditary roles and obligations completely loyal to their Kindes and Anzat masters.

They were also the Anzats' primary source of Soup.  However, due to the Lek'uns' own genetic imperative (courtesy of the Rakatan Gene-Editors), they viewed such as an honor to not only be chosen but indeed be celebrated.

The Lek'un called it their "Completion."

However, for the Anzat, the Lek'uns' Soup tasted...stale.  Bland.  Tasteless.  Yes, by this time Outsiders had arrived from far and wide across the galaxy, landing on Anzat Prime itself and inevitably become victims to the Anzati Soup Lust, but they were comparatively few and far between.  They craved Soup full of rich experiences and fresh life.  But the proverbial menu was extremely limited...

In about 12,000BBY or so, the forbidden practice of Animopophagy, that is, the practice of partaking in the Soup of fellow Anzati, began a destructive rise to prominence.  Not much is factually known about this time--mostly rumors and anecdotal evidence--but as I mentioned, the Seigniory Discord (which had by this time lasted over 13,000 years) was no more a bare few years after that.  It was a result from the Animopophagy that the Anzat-exclusive infection colloquially called "Soup Kuru" appeared, a neurodegenerative disease that ALWAYS occurred in Anzat living longer than 1,000 years.  And the older the Anzat, the further the degeneration.  

Ironically, the Soup Kuru could be somewhat mitigated by the consumption of powerful non-Anzat Forceusers.  However, the worst prognosis of the Soup Kuru wasn't death (theoretically, Anzat who subsisted on sufficiently powerful Soup could live indefinitely) but rather a type of Force Psychosis where the Anzat could no longer differentiate the Real World from their revered Sea of Memory, the so-called Silent Voices.  In this state the Anzat in question was not only incredibly dangerous but also somewhat more easily (comparatively) dispatched.

Regardless, these millennia-old Anzat (called Eldars) could access a power that was exclusive to them alone: the Yokusei.  This amounted to a Force-Summoning in which all Anzat within their sphere of influence (usually several sectors; the older the Anzat, the greater the area) would hear a Siren's call, one that would compel all but those of stalwart willpower to answer and heed the psychic summons.  From the Anzat that did succumb to the Yokusei, the venerable Anzat would aften partake in Animopophagy, feeding upon some while many more would become feral slaves to their will.  What made Anzati so susceptible to this Summons was the very inducement precipitating their own feedings: the Soup.  And in this case, the more Soup that an Anzat had consumed, the harder it was to resist the Yokusei.  

I've deduced that the mechanism was both a joint Force- and Biological-imperative.  This leads me to believe that the Yokusei might be able to be resisted but under what conditions and strictures I have no idea.

Finally, this leads me inextricably to three, terrifying questions: are there any of these so-called Eldars left?  And if so, what can they accomplish?  Worst yet: if they cannot be reasoned with, can they be killed?  I was going to ask Master Ovarug before he left for parts unknown but was unable to do so, to my unending regret.

...Perhaps someone else can help to answer these concerns.  For myself, I only know two things: I am glad that I am not an Anzat and that I shall never venture to Anzat Prime.
Logged

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Lord_S_Gray
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« Reply #457 on: July 04, 2022, 12:46:57 AM »

Love this kind of stuff, really expands on one of the more curious species in Star Wars the Anzat, and I love the format, Kqrees Kqryl Kqrov research laid out in summary, albeit given the scarcity of sources it seems summary is all they were able to find.  Yet still full of curious like the name Anzat being 'Emperor' once but then it sticks, a quite common occurrence in our own history for place/peoples to get stuck with a name not necessarily accurate e.g. China/Qin.

It's also very like histories of the ancient world on earth (e.g. Seutonius, Tactius, Josephus, Procopius, Gregory of Tours) where you hear much of the historian as well as their field of study, notably the references to the few sources Kqrov managed to get, their own doubts on the veracity of certain items and the finishing lines " I am glad that I am not an Anzat and that I shall never venture to Anzat Prime."  This makes it all the more personable and interesting and very real.

But the Soup, the Kuru, what a fascinating concept, seems it gains some Anzat a measure of near immortality at the price of their sanity, but perhaps these Eldars are all long since gone, I'm sure Kqrov hopes so, and after tens of thousands of years and the Foundering (I wonder how much of that itself was Anzat afraid of being eaten by other Aznat as a 'push' factor to leave...as well as possibly putting as much distance between themselves and the Eldars as possible, understandably so too!) surely none remain alive....

Surely....
Logged

Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

TheDutchman
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« Reply #458 on: July 11, 2022, 01:25:49 AM »


Interlude-The Seigniory Discord: The Art of War

As the laz-cannonade blared above-head, Vorníc Tyrrel vel-Ovarug commanded his heavy cavalry to attack on both flanks, his enemy's middle having already gave 'way against the onslaught of his naginata-wielding pike-ken.  And when the Trudenn army had turned, they found no respite from his artillery.  Astute red eyes scrutinized the battlegrounds weighing his next actions, knowing that in his heart that victory was in his grasp.  While he'd kept his reinforcements intact and at the ready, he could see that they were unnecessary as the battle was all but finished; no need to commit them, as it were.

"Hansho, I believe that the Trudenn lines are breaking." A polite deferential voice came from behind him, one that Tyrrel could always count on.

The enormous Anzat vorníc nodded, putting his thumbs in his wide black belt, both of his tremorswords held in place by the belt on his left hip, a simple-yet-lovingly-cared for folded fan sticking out from the obi on his right.  It had been an anniversary gift from his wife for their first year.  Could it really have been that long ago?  Sometimes Tyrrel couldn't believe it himself; he certainly had been lucky when it came to his experiences in life and Yoreikõ most certainly counted.

Indeed, then and now, he had always found himself blessed by good karma, both in peace and war.  "You are a bold one…" She would often tell him, her intelligent lavender eyes seeing so much more than everyone else, him included.  He knew that she would've immediately guessed his battle strategy against the Trudenn.  Not for the first time did he miss her...even with the underlying lamentation that accompanied his relations with her.

...Focus... He castigated himself, giving no outward appearance of anything other than absolute mastery of the situation.

Standing with his legs apart, Tyrrel cast a large shadow, both figuratively and literally.  Not counting the kamon poking above his shoulder, he stood over 2 meters.  With shoulders an axe-handle's width, he weighed more than 200 kg and that was before armor.
 Made for his exact specifications, his armor consisted of enough lacquered metal that the amount could normally outfit two persons entirely, his ornate helmet large enough that most men would tire under the weight.  For Tyrrel, wearing it he felt no more encumbered than most going bareheaded. 

Besides, it kept the blood of the dying Trudenn soldiers from his brow.

"You see much, Obdulla." Tyrrel's tone was familiar; after all, no one could hear them over the blasting laz-cannons.  Tyrrel had always had a soft-spot for his Efendí, but especially this particular Obdulla.  It was him that had been with Tyrrel since securing his union with Ioch, bringing the encircled fief under Ovarug protection, both its personnel and materiel.  Good thing too; with the death of his father-in-law, Ioch's Hansho Spodír Cors mare-Tochiki, the Trudenn Kinde had thought it an advantage, spurned to act and swallow the fief whole.

What they had not expected was that Tyrrel had anticipated such treachery, mobilizing his yamato-battledragons in secret from his vast estates in the West even before the body was cold.  Combined with Ioch's sword-ken soldiers, the Ovarug artillery and heavy infantry were ready to repulse any assault.

Tyrrel had not needed to wait long.

Within a week the first attacks came, probing actions to gauge Ioch's defensive capabilities.  Only Lek'un had been killed so Tyrrel's initial losses were negligible.  What the Trudenn forces did not know was that Tyrrel had specifically held his soldiers back, giving the Trudenn a false sense of confidence.  Emboldened, they soon committed their entire army in an attack against the Ioch distribution hub city of Chaten, intent on taking both the oryza processing plants as well as the mag-train depots intact. 

There were two armies, one from Trudenn Nishi along Ioch's west border and the other from Trudenn Azuma bordering the east.  Before descending upon Chaten, the two merged together to form one large force.  It would be a grand--and prosperous!--offensive for Trudenn.

...If not for Tyrrel.

Waiting until the Trudenn supply lines were overextended, he used his cavalry to attack in a pincer move that broke the Trudenn host almost from the onset.  Without appearing to do so, Tyrrel slowly, patiently repositioned his forces, allowing the Trudenn army time to regroup.  When they finally had reorganized, they rushed the Ovarug heavy infantry as they retreated.

All part of Tyrrel's plans.

The infantry was bait, pulling the redeployed Trudenn host directly into the range of the newly arrived Ovarug laz-cannons.  As Tyrrel had commanded, the entire battlefield had been pre-sighted, ensuring that as many Trudenn soldiers were in the killzone as possible.  As committed as they were, the Trudenn forces ran straight into the opening salvos of Ovarug artillery.  While wave after wave of laz-cannon rained death down upon them, a new Trudenn commander who wasn't a fool must have redirected the host away, retreating west towards the shield-mountains in the distance, Chaten all but forgotten. 

But not before many had been killed.

There were so many Trudenn casualties that even the planet's main trade route, the Tokaido Road, was stained red.  Forever after it was referred to as the "Blood Road of Ioch" when spoken about.

But Tyrrel wasn't finished.

Those sword-ken whom had escaped the killzone retreated back to the Trudenn western fief.  But to do so, they had to negotiate a narrow valley that finally fed into the shield-mountains separating Ioch and the province of Trudenn Nishi.  That's where Tyrrel had personally positioned himself along with a fifth of his forces, all of them hiding amongst the tops of the anticlines along the valley's perimeter.  It had been difficult to deploy his laz-cannons along the peaks and his remaining cavalry and pike-ken had marched double-time to gain the high ground, but Tyrrel and his Lek'un commander, Comis Al'Firhi, had had enough time to pull ahead of the Trudenn as well as watch them at their leisure as they entered the valley, trudging along while fighting constant rear-guard harassment.  From his elevated position, Tyrrel could fire with impunity upon the enemy, secure that his forces were safe from return fire.

As soon as the retreating Trudenn were all in the valley, Tyrrel sprang his trap, completely enveloping the enemy.

It was a bloodbath.

Even now, anyone could see that the Trudenn were all-but-defeated.  But then, from the middle of the remaining swarm of Trudenn survivors, a tall pole rose into the sky, the Trudenn kamon above a yellow flag of parley the lone decorations.  Interested, Tyrrel gestured to his Comis.

"Cease fire!" Al'Firhi shouted, his voice carried by a new invention: an audio ampliphone.  "Cease fire!" He yelled again down the line as more shouts echoed his command.  Soon the Ovarug laz-cannons fell silent.  Gathering a contingent of trusted people, the large vorníc prepared to see what the enemy wished to discuss.  Surrounded by his personal guards, Tyrrel was accompanied by his Comis and his Efendí as they marched forth to meet the Trudenn retinue halfway.

As Tyrrel approached them, he saw that the surviving Trudenn were ragged, armor hanging off several soldiers while others were suffering from multiple injuries ranging from debilitating to walking wounded.  He knew that if he was seeing this, then Obdulla had already recorded it for posterity.  Good.  He knew that he would peruse the actions of the day, gleaning wisdom and experience from it in the hopes that he would do better in the future.

Shortly he found himself face-to-face with the Trudenn commander, a hard man whose armor had seen action.  A warrior, to be sure.  Tyrrel thought his own pristine armor would do one of two things: unnerve the man given his strategic and tactical successes or make him underestimate Tyrrel altogether. 

Either was fine for him.

As was customary, both leaders dismounted, and--accompanied by their respective Comis and Efendí--the two met in the middle as equals.

"I am Vorníc Tyrrel vel-Ovarug, Hansho of Kinde Ovarug." He saluted, his body language casual.

"I am Voíer Menx mare-Qaemar, First sword-ken of Kinde Trudenn." He respectfully returned Tyrrel's salute, his own face impassive (although it was streaked with dirt and sweat).

"Well met, voíer.  But where is your lord?  Should he not be here for parley?" Tyrrel took his fan from his obi, indifferently and unnecessarily fanning himself, his other hand resting easily on the pommel of his daito tremorsword.  His spread legs looked as if the earth had sprouted thick tree trunks, his solid middle and barrel chest as immovable as the shield-mountains themselves.

Menx shook his head.  "Forgive me, vorníc, but my lord Spodír Yginne mare-Trudenn was killed during the initial attack on Chaten and Vorníc Jlennat mare-Trudenn during the following calamity." There was an undercurrent of disgust in his tone.

Yginne and Jlennat.  So, Varrin's own nephews.  It was no wonder that the attack had been so hasty; Yginne was always a precipitous fool, pillowing the first Isbasa courtesan in sight instead of waiting for the more practiced and experienced Iuzbata.  As for Jlennat...well he was--had been--a capable commander but lacked intuition.  "I see." Tyrrel said instead.  There was no reason to saddle this man with Yginne's stupidity.  "What is it you want?" He asked directly, warrior to warrior, putting aside the normal politics that soiled the Evokation.

The tightness around Menx's eyes evaporated, a shadow of appreciation apparent.  "Vorníc Ovarug, by my Hansho, I formally challenge you."

Moving his fan almost lazily, Tyrrel nodded.  "Voíer Menx mare-Qaemar, as Hansho, I formally accept.  First strike, first blood, or death?" His tone was conversational.

"Death, vorníc." He responded, removing his battered helmet. 

"Death then." Tyrrel replaced his fan in his obi and took off his own helmet, handing it to Obdulla.  "Remember today, Efendí.  A warrior departs the dream." Speaking the ritual words.  Then, drawing his daito, he took a few practice swings before grasping the hilt with both hands.

Menx nodded, holding his own tremorsword in a midguard by his chest.  Both men took stock of each other, two motionless statues measuring their opponent, deadly blades bare.

Then they attacked.

Each man engaged in a furious exchange of cuts, thrusts, and parries, getting a feel for their opponent's skill.  Even before the first strike was complete, they both knew whom was the superior swordsman.  Still, back and forth they clashed, their long, single edged tremorswords searching for any weakness, any openings in their opponent's defenses.

After the sixth exchange, one of the men slowed without turning back to his opponent.  Instead, they sank down to their knees, fresh blood flowing from a gap between the lacquered armor covering their stomachs.

Menx dropped his daito from numb fingers, both hands digging between the compromised armor in an attempt to staunch the flow of blood.  But it was so much a useless gesture; Tyrrel's cut had sliced deeply and mortally.

Daito in his hands, Tyrrel carefully rounded his fallen opponent.  Seeing that his last attack had struck home, Tyrrel stood in front of Menx.  "Voíer Menx mare-Qaemar, you are an example to your Kinde.  I offer you the honor of a quick death.  What say you?" Tyrrel spoke not unkindly.

This time Menx smiled, gratitude radiating from him.  "Than...thank you, Vorníc Ovarug.  I am in your debt." He slowly inhaled.

As Obdulla stepped forward with a full bladder of water, the large vorníc paused.  "Tyrrel." Tyrrel offered, a sign of respect between two warriors.  No Kindes, no castes, no ranks, just two men.

"Menx." Menx grinned.  "Gratitude, Tyrrel.  The honor is mine." Closing his eyes, he began to recite the First Creed of the Warrior's Tenets of Battle, blood still oozing from beneath his fingers.  From behind his Hansho, Obdulla carefully upturned the water bladder, the crisp clean clear water streaming down Tyrrel's smoky blade. 

Then with a sudden yell, Tyrrel exploded into action, his daito flashing in the sunlight, arcing downward in a full, powerful cut that took Menx's head cleanly at the neck.  As Menx's body crumpled upon the ground, Tyrrel politely bowed and waited until Obdulla had retrieved the severed head.  "Efendí..." Tyrrel's tone was formal once again, "...clean the head and wrap it respectfully.  See that it is given all honor accorded his status and station." 

Turning to the Trudenn Comis and Efendí he spoke.  "Leave a tenth of your Lek'un per the Articles of Supplication; they are mine.  As are the three highest ranking sword-ken to be ransomed at my convenience.  The rest are free to withdraw with your remaining army to Trudenn Nishi absent further antagonism."  From behind him, Obdulla held Menx's now-sheathed daito reverently, handing it to the Trudenn Efendí as Tyrrel continued.  "Tell your Hansho that his sword-ken died with honor and that as a result, there will be no formal Declaration of War."  Nodding silently both the Comis and Efendí were about to leave when Tyrrel added, "Tell him do not ever test me again.  Otherwise I will raze both Trudenn fiefs to the ground, I shall kill every male, enslave every female, and sup on every Lek'uns' soup once I've salted the expanse of his entire demesne." His soft tone was as menacing as it was frightening.

Gesturing with his hand Tyrrel's Comis, Al'Firhi spoke at the retreating Trudenn Lek'un.  "Remember the tolerance of my Hansho; remember the violence of my Hansho." The Comis' ritual words were biting. "Remember your Hansho's failures; remember your Hansho's dishonor."  There was no denying that the Trudenn Comis and Efendí quickened their pace.

As the Trudenn's vastly depleted army left--absent the Tenth and three sword-ken, Lek'un to be taken as spoils of war for their soup, sword-ken as hostages--Obdulla intensely watched his Hansho.  While the vorníc's face normally showed little, Obdulla knew him well enough to get a read on him.  While he was cautiously pleased, Tyrrel was nevertheless worried.

It was bad enough that Kinde Trudenn thought they could engage in border skirmishes but to actually have the audacity and hubris to commit a pre-emptive attack?  No, this was something that wasn't done arbitrarily (even they had attacked prematurely).  With his father-in-law dead, Tyrrel would have to appoint a new regent for Ioch.  It was something to consider but he already had a few candidates in mind, his wife's first cousin on her father's side would probably be up to the task...

But that was only part of it; the problem at hand remained.  He needed heirs.  And quickly.  But for now, Ioch was secure, plus word would spread throughout the Evokation that the Ovarug forces remained formidable.

"Efendí..." Tyrrel's deep voice carried despite his soft tone.  "Send word to Vorníca Yoreikõ mare-Orarug vi Tochiki; she is to attend me here in the Ioch country stormhold."  Obdulla was already inscribing his Hansho's dictation.  "I want to transfer 2,000 koku on the next two yamato barges to reward our army for their victory.  Finally, tell them they may have their pick of the Tenth as an early bonus."

"Your will be done, Hansho." He bowed.  "Anything in particular to your wife?" Obdulla continued to do the mental calculations on how best to raise the koku from the Ovarug fief, satisfied after a minute's computations of which alternatives were optimal.

For a moment Tyrrel did not speak.  He hadn't seen Yoreikõ in several months and it would be good to do so again.  To say that theirs was an...interesting marriage was an understatement.  However, he knew that she would unquestionably perform her conjugal duties as required.  "Yes...tell her to bring her lavender salts."  She would know precisely what that meant even as no one else did.  "Thank you, Efendí." He said distractedly.

Bowing himself away, Obdulla disappeared outside Tyrrel's tents.

For long moments, Tyrrel remained motionless deep in thought.  He prayed that they would be successful this time.  After all, this time they had a little help if the Hama was to be believed.  By the Silent Voices it would work, dammit.

But he had little time to dwell upon the misfortunes of the past, especially with the great victory won today.  Tyrrel would not only use it to help secure his demesne but also as an added bonus gain at least some insight about those Trudenn fools.

The Lek'uns' soup all but guaranteed that.

With that, he would be able to better navigate the always problematic Court at Azzheri.  But most worrisome were the rumors from the South that he'd recently heard, that the entire Hokuriku continent had become embroiled in the conflagration of battle.  If even half of what he'd heard turned out to be true...it may well shift the balance of power in the entire Evokation.

As night fell, Tyrrel continued his ministrations and planning, but the one topic that refused to give up the ghost stubbornly percolated to the forefront of his mind, infecting even his sleep: he hoped that everything with Yoreikõ would work out.

Somehow.
Logged

Sig courtesy of DarthScrub

Cataphract Triarch of the Vhal'Dan

My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

Lord_S_Gray
Knight Commander
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Force Alignment: 428
Posts: 1903



« Reply #459 on: July 11, 2022, 04:29:36 AM »

Really on a hot streak Dutch, this was great, really transports you to a different time and place, where honour and savagery go hand in hand, glory and defeat.  the richness of the culture here is especially great, the Comis words to the Trudenn Lek'un especially poignant - "Remember the tolerance of my Hansho; remember the violence of my Hansho." it's actually quite chilling. And yet when you consider how the Anzat nobles consider them as mere chattel, expendable bodies and objection of literal consumption it takes on a whole new meaning that he is compelled by culture and his own genetics to say this. 

Yet that is perfectly fitting for Feudal lords playing a game of regional diplomacy, jabbing at each other constantly, the personal (notable Tyrells need for an heir) inextricably linked to the political and the military.  Menx attempt to scrounge victory noble even if his side was ignoble in their invasion, a fact that would've been forgotten in a Trudenn victory - had not Tyrell excepted the attack and planned a counter accordingly. But then no side here is really the 'good' or 'bad' - this is a time of warlords, servants, assassins and conspirators where the Kinde's power and prestige justifies everything, and you've really captured that here, Tyrell seems like the 'hero' here mostly because it is largely written from his POV, but you still with great subtlety through the narrative show he still is an integral part of the Discord, not in anyway separate or trying to end it, except to his own advantage.  He adheres to the old codes and rituals, a 'good' man perhaps for his time, but very much of his time nonetheless. 

An excellent first introduction to this world a longer time ago in a galaxy far far away.
Logged

Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

TheDutchman
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Force Alignment: 1106
Posts: 4131


Avatar courtesy of For Tyeth


« Reply #460 on: July 28, 2022, 07:47:22 PM »

Special thanks to LSG and Karmack for making their own incredible fleets for the Aethans & Mak'Tor, respectively.  Of course I had to write my own...purely for the sake of completionism, naturally ( Wink).  Also, gratitude to LSG (again) for letting me steal his Bothan Spynet Smiley.  This is dedicated to both of them^^
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Intercept

[Ident-Confirmation – Password]
*******
[APPROVED]
[--DNA SAMPLE insert digit into scanner – note may cause some pain]
>>>
[APPROVED]
[Occular Scan Initiating – Photosensitive seizure warning. A very small percentage of Sentients may experience a seizure when exposed to certain visual images, including flashing lights or patterns that may appear during scan]
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[Approved]
[Welcome Agent Agate]
{SPYNET 20.3}
[Emergency Update > Vhal'Dan Union]
[To: GlobalAddressList]
From: Rainbow

Agents, I've have compiled the following details on the Vhal'Dan Order's naval fleet.  Admittedly, the list is incomplete with updates to follow. Trust No One.

<<<<>>>>


Vhal'Dan Navy c.10ABY

Capital ships

Defender II-class Star Destroyer: 8 ships
Length: 1,080 meters
Hyperdrive rating: Class 1, Class 8 backup
Armament: Heavy turbolasers batteries (60: 15 fore, 15 aft, 15 port, 15 starboard); Heavy turbolasers cannons (60: 15 fore, 15 aft, 15 port, 15 starboard); Ion cannons (32: 8 fore, 8 aft, 8 port, 8 starboard); Assault concussion missile tubes (15, turreted), 45 missiles each; Tractor beam projectors (12: 4 fore, 3 port, 3 starboard, 2 aft)
Shielding: Harður-powerplant shield generator (125%-150% efficiency)
Armor: Stálhúð nano-polymer plating (125%-150% efficiency)
Complement: 60 Starfighters (5 squadrons); 12 Transports; 12 Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry, elite (LAAT/ie)
Crew: 1,895 crew (Vhal'Dan automation protocols resulting in fewer organic crew&enhanced response times/efficiency); 309 gunners, 450 hoplites (marines)
Consumables: 3 years
Bio: Taking the New Republic's "New Class Modernization Program" and improving upon it, the Vhal'Dan Defender II Star Destroyer is the backbone of the Order's navy.  Specifically engineered to counter--and surpass--the Empire's now-defunct "next generation Imperial Star Destroyer," the Defender II is a smaller, tougher, fully automated, multipurpose war platform featuring heavier firepower, armor, and shields.  Utilizing four main hanger bays, the ship can easily carry up to 12 full squadrons but typically carries 7.  Coupled with the Order's marine corp, the Hoplites, the Vhal'Dan ground forces can secure any planetary objective as space/air superiority fighters do likewise with the adjacent airspace.  Before the Jedi Purge, each Defender II also featured a full TIE-Guardian/Troika "Legios" squadron; now only half of the star destroyers possess a full complement of Cataphracts.  Regardless, the 3 Cataphract Troikas more than make up for their low numbers with their own firepower, armor, and Force Powers.
It should be noted that the Vhal'Dan's flagship, Rikard's Aldrnari, has an unknown complement of starfighters, transports, and dropships.  Furthermore, there are rumors that the vessel possesses a prototype Metal Crystal Phase Shifter (MCPS) weapon; however, nothing concrete has ever been verified.



Dreadnaught II-class Battlecruiser: 21 ships
Length: 634 meters
Hyperdrive rating: Class 2, Class 10 backup
Armament: Heavy turbolasers batteries (25: 10 fore, 5 aft, 5 port, 5 starboard); Heavy turbolasers cannons (25: 10 fore, 5 aft, 5 port, 5 starboard); Ion cannons (12: 4 fore, 2 aft, 2 port, 2 starboard); Assault concussion missile tubes (8, turreted), 25 missiles each; Tractor beam projectors (5: 2 fore, 1 port, 1 starboard, 1 aft)
Shielding: Harður-powerplant shield generator (125%-150% efficiency)
Armor: Stálhúð nano-polymer plating (125%-150% efficiency)
Complement: 12 Starfighters (1 squadron); 6 Transports; 6 Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry, elite (LAAT/ie)
Crew: 505 crew (Vhal'Dan automation protocols resulting in fewer organic crew&enhanced response times/efficiency); 76 gunners; 210 hoplites (marines)
Consumables: 2 years
Bio: Improving upon the heavy cruiser design, the Vhal'Dan took the antiquated pre-Clone Wars capital ship and reconstructed the entire vessel from the inner chassis and armor to the weapons and computer systems.  Indeed, with the exception of the fuselage design, the Dreadnaught II is an entirely different ship (as delineated by the "battlecruiser" nomenclature).  Much like the Defender II, the Dreadnaught II incorporates the standard Vhal'Dan upgrades including a main hanger bay able to berth up to 3 full squadrons, as well as an over-strength company of Hoplites.  Often times, the Dreadnaught II will act as the primary ship-of-the-line in-theater whenever all of the Order's eight Defender II Star Destroyers are otherwise occupied (testament to their upgraded durability & functionality).
Another unsubstantiated rumor persists that the Vhal'Dan leadership either have in their possession or know the exact galactic coordinates of another pre-Clone Wars Dreadnaught-class fleet (not unlike the infamous "Katana Fleet," the so-called "Dark Force") that also went "lost" amidst the hive virus infection in which the entire crew went insane and all of the fleet's ships made a mass-slave hyperspace jump, some say to the Unknown Regions.  While such might account for the source of the materiel, it still begs several questions like "How & when did the Order find them?"



Valor III-class Tactical Frigate: 42 ships
Length: 426 meters
Hyperdrive rating: Class 1 (possibly Class .75), Class 6 backup
Armament: Heavy turbolasers batteries (11: 4 fore, 3 aft, 2 port, 2 starboard); Heavy turbolasers cannons (11: 4 fore, 3 aft, 2 port, 2 starboard); Ion cannons (9: 3 fore, 2 aft, 2 port, 2 starboard); Assault concussion missile tubes (5, turreted), 17 missiles each; Tractor beam projectors (4: 1 fore, 1 port, 1 starboard, 1 aft)
Shielding: Harður-powerplant shield generator (125%-150% efficiency)
Armor: Stálhúð nano-polymer plating (125%-150% efficiency)
Complement: 3 Transports; 4 Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry, elite (LAAT/ie); [Optional]: 12 Starfighters (1 mixed squadron)
Crew: 285 crew (Vhal'Dan automation protocols resulting in fewer organic crew&enhanced response times/efficiency); 39 gunners; 90 hoplites (marines)
Consumables: 1-1.5 years
Bio: The latest generation tactical frigate also incorporates Vhal'Dan R&D shipwide modernization, giving the smallest of the Order's capital ships a distinct advantage against any preconceived expectations.  Showcasing their joint roles, the Valor III acts as an escort for larger vessels in the battlegroup while defending them against powerful short range attackers, be they capital ships or starfighters, the means by which result from almost overpowered shields, armor, and armament.  Additionally, the Valor III has also been retrofitted so that each can carry a complement of a mixed squadron of starfighters, depending upon mission parameters.  They also each carry an over-strength Hoplite platoon for ship-to-ship/ground actions as well as specialized boarding droidekas.  On the rare occasion necessitating stealth missions, the Valor III will also act as FOB (Forward Operating Base) for clandestine Cataphract operations.
Clearly the Valor-III was intended early on to replace the antiquated Valor-II tactical frigates but production was stalled as a result of a couple of internecine wars plaguing the Order after the mass exodus from Galtea, namely the Zilior-Kewda Conflict and the Prakith Disputation, known more colloquially as the First- & Second Gray Jedi Wars.




Starfighters

V-19B Torrent-class "Balyeg" interceptor: 420 ships
Crew: 1 pilot
Length: 6 meters
Width: 15 meters
Height/depth: 9 meters
MGLT: 120
Hyperdrive rating: Class 1
Armament: Wingtip L-s10.9 laser cannons (3); Chin-mounted L-s10.9 laser cannons (2);  Warhead launchers (2); Concussion missiles (9)/Proton torpedoes (9)
Shielding: Ryiitch-reactor powerplant
Bio: Making up the bulk of the Order's Airwing, the V-19B "Balyeg" interceptor is one of the fastest starfighters in the galaxy.  Quicker and more agile than the TIE-Interceptor, the craft greatly benefits from the Vhal'Dan R&D modernization designs.  Originally, the V-19 was an early-Clone Wars Era starfighter, possessing strong cannons, ordnance, and armor but conspicuously lacking shields; as such, the Order was able to purchase large volume units at a discount.  After R&D was finished, all of the starfighters' best qualities were kept while eliminating their deficiencies.  Now, the newly designated "V-19B" or "Balyeg" (appropriately named after the large, deadly reptilian species) is that much more lethal, given renewed life as the backbone of the Vhal'Dan starfighter fleet.



H/K-38 Tessek-class "Gundark" space superiority starfighter: 168 ships
Crew: 1 pilot/1 gunner
Length: 21.3 meters
Width: 19.1 meters
Height/depth: 17.1 meters
MGLT: 100
Hyperdrive rating: Class 2
Armament: Wing-array L-s10.9 laser cannons (4); Chin-mounted I-d8.3 ion-cannons (2); Warhead launchers (4); Concussion missiles (32)/Proton torpedoes (32)
Shielding: Ryiitch-reactor powerplant
Bio: This uniquely Vhal'Dan starfighter design takes the best components from different constituent ships to produce a space superiority fighter that combines firepower, survivability, and strike-capability all in one craft.  With the Vhal'Dan R&D modernization, the H/K-38 "Gundark" is capable of taking on multiple opponents, courtesy of upgraded armor and shields.  While not as fast or maneuverable as the V-19B, the "Gundark" is still an agile craft.  With the addition of a dedicated gunner, the offensive capabilities of the H/K-38 is able to outperform almost every single-crewed pilot/gunner ship.  Plus with the multiple onboard missile platforms, the starfighter is considered dangerous even to smaller capital ships.



TIE-Guardian multi-role heavy starfighter/*"Cataphract Legios": 84/*36 ships
Crew: 1 pilot/*1 Triad (3 Cataphracts)
Length: 15.2 meters
Width: 15.2 meters
Height/depth: 19.7 meters
MGLT: 115
Hyperdrive rating: Class 1.5
Armament: Wingtip L-s10.9 laser cannons (6); Chin-mounted L-s10.9 laser cannons (2); Wing-array pylon grazer emitter (3); Warhead launchers (2); Concussion missiles (12)/Proton torpedoes (12); Tractor beam projector
Shielding: Vlaast-reactor powerplant
Bio: As a tangible example of Cataphract Triarch Alcyorr Kål Rhadde's military doctrine, the Vhal'Dan's redesigned TIE-Guardian "Legios" represents the pinnacle of multipurpose starfighters.  With superior offensive- and defensive-armament, the modified former TIE-Defender possesses fully upgraded weapons, armor, shielding, and engines.  But the most notable change in the weapons array is the addition of three prototype grazer emitters, extremely powerful particle weapons that require the experimental Vlaast-class reactor.  Due to this powerplant, the TIE-Guardian's blaster cannons are even able to compromise the armor and shields of a capital ship as well as power primary- and secondary-shields (to say nothing of the grazer particle-beams).  It is also necessary to power the Cataphract Triad that the ship carries, providing enough renewable energy for their weapons system&quantum-armor in addition to the Triarch's blitzkrieg tactics.  As with all Spec Ops, while the utility of the TIE-Guardian is prolific, the resources necessary to produce the "Legios" is prohibitively expensive.  That, and the previously discussed Jedi Purge, ensures that the Order's "Cataphract Legios" are as invaluable as they are irreplaceable.



Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry, elite (LAAT/ie): 378 ships
Crew: 1 pilot, 1 co-pilot/RIO, 2-4 gunners, 35 passengers
Length: 18.2 meters
Width: 18 meters
Height/depth: 6.7 meters
MGLT: 55
Hyperdrive rating: N/A
Armament: Anti-personnel laser turrets (1 behind the doors and 2 at the front); Composite-beam laser turrets (2 behind the cockpit and 2 others on the wings); Mass-driver missile launchers (3), (30 missiles each); Medium air-to-air rockets (5 under each wing)
Shielding: Ryiitch-reactor powerplant
Bio: These upgraded gunships are the Order's troop transports used for the Hoplites, personnel extraction, surgical strikes, and reconnaissance missions.  The shields and armor are strong enough to withstand several hits but the primary attribute of the LAAT/ie is atmospheric speed: at a maximum velocity of over 1,300 kph, the LAAT/ie was quicker than a TIE-Interceptor.  Combined with its maneuverability, the gunships could be relied upon by Hoplite and passenger alike for lightning-swift attacks as well as insertions & withdrawals.



Typical Vhal'Dan battlegroup: [Capital ships] 1 Defender II-class Star Destroyer, 3 Dreadnaught II-class battlecruisers, 6 Valor III-class tactical frigates; [starfighters] 8 squadrons-> 5 squadrons V-19B Torrent-class "Balyeg" interceptors, 2 squadrons H/K-38 Tessek-class "Gundark" space superiority starfighter, 1 squadron TIE-Guardian multi-role heavy starfighter/"Cataphract Legios" (currently only 3 of 7 squadrons at full strength w/ Cataphract Triad crews); 54 Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry, elite (LAAT/ie); [Hoplites] 1 over-strength battalion (approx. 1,640); [Spec Ops] 1 Troika (27 Cataphracts, fully armored)

There are currently 7 active battlegroups for the Order, with another full group being designed/built/laying down keels at the Sekot Shipyards.  

The 8th Defender II-class Star Destroyer, Rikard's Aldrnari, is independent of a battlegroup.  Its presence as flagship is usually indicative of important political & military operations.



Various freighters, craft, & vessels

Fenris' Dirge (Hapan-Mandalorian Infiltrator)
crew: 1 pilot, 1 co-pilot/RIO, 2-4 gunners, 12 passengers
Length: 44.3 meters
Width: 47.8 meters
Height/depth: 13.7 meters
MGLT: 80
Hyperdrive rating: Class .75
Armament: H6 turbolaser bank (1); SW-2 ion cannons (2); VD-i electromagnetic plasma cannons (4; 1 fore, 1 aft, 1 port, 1 starboard); Warhead launchers (2); Concussion missiles (24)/Proton torpedoes (24); Tractor beam projector
Shielding: Vlaast-reactor powerplant
Bio: This Hapan-fabricated Mandalorian Infiltrator is the personal ship of 7th Speaker D'Aylanna Vih'Torr.  Thanks to her lineage connections, she (through several intermediaries) was able to acquire many specialized units and systems, lending to the very heavily modified nature of the craft.  As a result, Fenris' Dirge possesses overpowered weapons systems, namely the single turbolaser bank (rare for a ship its size), two ion cannons, and the Vhal'Dan exclusive 4 electromagnetic plasma cannons located around the ship.  In addition to its powerful shield generator, the outer hull has been overlaid with a skin of Stálhúð nano-polymer plating (usually found on capital ships).  And for the times when escape is necessary, the ship's Froond-class hyperdrive makes it one of the fastest vessels in the galaxy.
Aside from its armament, Fenris' Dirge can also accommodate a dozen passengers in double-berth barracks.  However, the Speaker herself, as well as her husband, share a (comparatively) spacious cabin separate from the other lodgings and their adoptive daughter, Jorya, has her own single berth.

<<<<>>>>

As these Gray Jedi have been relatively recluse (especially in the last 4-5 decades), the former assessment of "Critical" has been downgraded to "Moderate" immediacy.  As such, the Bothan Combat Response Element is standing down from QRT status.  Nevertheless, all Spynet Agents will remain vigilant.

Trust No One.

Rainbow.
Logged

Sig courtesy of DarthScrub

Cataphract Triarch of the Vhal'Dan

My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

For Tyeth
Knight Commander
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Force Alignment: 1557
Posts: 3046


I Survive through the Force.


« Reply #461 on: July 29, 2022, 08:39:51 AM »

Hi Dutch,

I love reading these Technical Specifications of ships and vessels....it reminds me of playing the "Top Trumps" card game!
Anyhoo, having seen your Hapan-Mandalorian Infiltrator I thought you might be interested in a little Lego model I made. You can check it out on my thread here:
http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=40017.msg797914#msg797914

I think I replicated it  pretty close!
Logged


Lord_S_Gray
Knight Commander
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Force Alignment: 428
Posts: 1903



« Reply #462 on: July 29, 2022, 10:00:04 AM »

A great summary there lots of detail, and my my that Bothan spynet does have extensive tendrils! It's a strong force in many way but vulnerable in others, with only 8 'linch pin' Star Destroyers, losing any one of them is quite the blow, more than that and they will be reliant on smaller capital vessels, and even they are not evenly split as support for the Destroyers. Overall it seems to be a fleet that needs very skillful commanders to get the most out of it, to balance its technological strengths against its comparatively small number of capital ships and need to use them but also protect them. Having said that if it hits, I can imagine it would hit very hard, also the Vhal'Dan Knights integrate within the fleet to  exapnd its abilities, and Cataphracts delivered by TIE Guardians is a sobering thought to any who might try to test them.  A very realistically sized force, it could certainly defend Sekot and the system very effectively, but not large enough to 'project' power elsewhere - interventions and short campaigns certainly, but this isn't a force that could conquer systems, lock down planets or control hyper lanes without spreading itself thin.

Certainly will be fascinating to see how the Vhal'Dan utilize this force and seeing it in action!

And well done For, nice recreation!   
Logged

Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

TheDutchman
Knight Commander
*

Force Alignment: 1106
Posts: 4131


Avatar courtesy of For Tyeth


« Reply #463 on: August 04, 2022, 01:49:35 AM »

Hi Dutch,

I love reading these Technical Specifications of ships and vessels....it reminds me of playing the "Top Trumps" card game!
Anyhoo, having seen your Hapan-Mandalorian Infiltrator I thought you might be interested in a little Lego model I made. You can check it out on my thread here:
http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=40017.msg797914#msg797914

I think I replicated it  pretty close!

Thank you!

Like you, I LOVE the different specs&stats for ships and characters!  Plus: having a "reference" for them actually helps whenever I'm storyboarding (and often even writing) the different scenes, sometimes facilitating inspiration even before I've consciously made the narrative...

...Which is why I appreciate the visuals that both FT and LSG have provided for my stories^^

A great summary there lots of detail, and my my that Bothan spynet does have extensive tendrils! It's a strong force in many way but vulnerable in others, with only 8 'linch pin' Star Destroyers, losing any one of them is quite the blow, more than that and they will be reliant on smaller capital vessels, and even they are not evenly split as support for the Destroyers. Overall it seems to be a fleet that needs very skillful commanders to get the most out of it, to balance its technological strengths against its comparatively small number of capital ships and need to use them but also protect them. Having said that if it hits, I can imagine it would hit very hard, also the Vhal'Dan Knights integrate within the fleet to  exapnd its abilities, and Cataphracts delivered by TIE Guardians is a sobering thought to any who might try to test them.  A very realistically sized force, it could certainly defend Sekot and the system very effectively, but not large enough to 'project' power elsewhere - interventions and short campaigns certainly, but this isn't a force that could conquer systems, lock down planets or control hyper lanes without spreading itself thin.

Certainly will be fascinating to see how the Vhal'Dan utilize this force and seeing it in action!

And well done For, nice recreation!   

This is precisely correct^^

For an NGO, the Vhal'Dan navy is formidable...but it is NOT an "expeditionary force" by any sense.  It IS perfect for planetary defense, surgical strikes, and joint-force operations; and since they've just formalized an Alliance with the Templars (and the Vhal'Dan have kept genial relations with the Mak'Tor...perhaps something more concrete to join the two Gray Jedi Orders together in the future...), it underscores just how true LSG's assessments are^^

Thanks again my friends; these are just so much fun to put together  Cool

Makes one wonder what kind of navy the Order would have had it NOT been for the Civil-, First-, & Second Gray Jedi Wars...
Logged

Sig courtesy of DarthScrub

Cataphract Triarch of the Vhal'Dan

My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

Lord_S_Gray
Knight Commander
*

Force Alignment: 428
Posts: 1903



« Reply #464 on: August 31, 2022, 11:50:38 PM »

>>>Coming Soon<<<<







Logged

Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

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