The Invasion Begins (Complete)

[Alexia Sturkov]

The space around Korriban was empty except for a few particle clouds that had been blown in by the interstellar winds from some neighboring planet. When the sun came up the clouds would light up like giant fireballs in the sky, only without the heat and impending doom normally associated with fireballs in the sky. But those clouds served a second purpose then a light show. They provided cover for a ship that was sneaking into the system. The ship was long and sleek, a large black vessel with no visible weapon systems. The ship positioned itself behind the cloud in such an angle that the sun did not cause its shadow to be displayed on the particle clouds. Eventually it poked its nose out of the cloud and a hatch opened in its nose. A long range communication array was extended and pointed down at the planet. A series of encrypted messages and file transfers were beamed up and down from the ship to the planet. Unknown to the sith on Korriban the ship had just hacked into their databank and downloaded the entire list of active sith within the Sith Order.

On the bridge of the Morning Star stood Alexia Sturkov. She was busy looking over the long list of names that filled the main view screen. Many of the names she knew, but more of them she did not. There was only two names that were of any real importance to her: Zereth Lancer and Yurza Magus. There were even images with the files. It would seem that the Sith did not trust each other enough and had extensive files on each other in the case that one defected, so that they could be easily tracked down and eliminated. Beside Alexia stood Zanon O'hara, her partner in crime and the creator of her army. The good Doctor had was viewing the information on a different screen but all he seemed to be doing was looking at all the female member's images and grinning to himself.

"File transfer complete," An Arkanian said from somewhere on the command bridge. All of Alexia's commanding officers were Arkanians. They were easy to bribe and very intelligent. Zanon had his own private force of Arkanian scientists to aid him in his work.

"Very good," Alexia said before closing the file and saving several copies of it to the ships internal systems, "Jurak!" She called and form the back of the command deck a large figure emerged. The creature reached her and dropped to one knee and bowed it's head.

Alexia looked down upon the giant that cowered before her. Jurak was easily seven feet tall, with pale greenish skin that poorly concealed the rippling muscles underneath. The force hunters where a living weapon with poisoned claws and fangs, bulbous eye with excellent night vision, and in Jurak’s case; large spikes that protruded from his shoulders, elbows, and knees. Deadly blades, power gauntlets, and face plates made them even more dangerous. Their blades where made of a dense metal alloy that allowed them to withstand contact with a lightsabre numerous times before being rendered useless, although this material was too heavy for human’s to wield in combat, the force hunter’s magnificent strength allowed them to use them to use the blade with ease. Jurak himself, with his even greater strength then the normal hunters, could wield two such blades at a time but preferred to use a single, larger blade, instead. The power gauntlets allowed the hunters to put their full strength behind a punch without the risk of breaking their fingers, and or wrists. Also hidden launchers filled with poisonous or exploding darts gave the hunters another edge in combat. The face plate was a helmet that only covered one’s face. These plates where equipped with heat vision, sensor equipment, and comm units. They also are strong enough to withstand a blaster bolt and save the hunter from a quick death. The hunters also wore a kind of black studded leather armor that offered them only mild protection but allowed them to move freely, all in all they where a formidable foe not to be reckoned with.

“Everything is ready, Trinity.” Jurak said as before raising his head and looked up at her, “All the soldiers are armed and prepared. They only await your orders.”

"Get them to their drop ships," Alexia commanded, "And prepare my dropship for departure. I wish to join this hunt," She turned and left the bridge with Jurak right on her heels. What Zanon did was not of their concern. He was only to remain behind and look over the ship.

Alexia entered the large docking bay and looked about at the ten dropships that filled it. Each Drop ship could hold thirty humans, but because of their larger body size, only twenty Force Hunters could fit aboard each ship. Alexia's own drop ship was hold her, Jurak, a ten Force Hunters and four Krath War Droids. When everyone was loaded in and strapped down the ships were launched with Alexia's drop ship leading the way. The other drop ships had been equipped with cloaking devices and radar jammers, a mix of equipment that rendered them invisible to the Sith Order's outdated sensor equipment. As they entered the atmosphere Alexia sent a pulse message down to the Sith Order's control center requesting the opening of the Hangar Bay doors. Alexia had modified the transponder beacon on the ship to say that her ship was the Star of Oblivion, which was one of Zereth Lancer's personal ships. Alexia knew the ship would not be here because Zereth always kept it docked on Corellia.

Access was granted and the docking bay doors were opened. The bay itself was hidden inside a cliff face and a mix of holo technology and camouflage hid the doors from the view. The holo was dropped and the doors were opened and Alexia and her ships flew right in. The force hunters were pouring out of their dropships before they had even finished setting down. The surprised technicians and sith in the hangar bay were quickly cut down before any alarm could be sounded.

Alexia herself did not leave her ship until after the slaughter was finished. She was dressed a mix of black leather and red cloth (see Character pic), her shoulder length red hair was loose and her piercing green eyes looked about critically at everything around her. On her belt hung a lightsabre hilt and a knife and a blaster pistol was holstered at her side, "The fools don't suspect a thing," She laughed and then ordered the Force Hunters out of the docking bay, down the hall, and into the "castle" of the Sith Order.

[Yurza Magus]

Yurza jumped out of bed, startled by a new feeling through the Force. He reached out to the people in rooms near hm and knew they had felt something as well. But what is it?

He quickly got out of bed and put on a pair of his black pants and a matching tank top. It wasn't much, but it was all he needed to do some quick investigating. On the way out of the door he grabbed his lightsaber and walked outside. Other Sith were standing outside of their rooms as well. He grabbed the two newest Apprentices and told them to follow him.

He opened his mind to the Force and searched for his fellow Knights asking if they too had felt the disturbance. He recieved Force nudges indicating that they had. "You two stay behind me and stay close. I don't know what is causing this, but it doesn't feel to friendly."

They travelled down the living quaters hall and turned left once they reached the outside garden. They walked around the courtyard to a large door that would lead them inside the Citadel and towards the training areas and kitchens and the libraries and the hangars. The last seeming to be the direction that the disturbance felt the strongest. He put his palm up to a small pad on the right side of he door and it opened with a swish.

He moved to the left and walked along the wall. Before long he came to the first hallway that branched off. He motioned for the two Appretnices to go down it and see if anything was down there. He would head over to the next hallway and see what was down there.

"And don't be foolish. You way be Sith Apprentices, but you are not yet all powerful. Understand?" He waited until they both nodded and tehm sent them down. He had not taken three steps before hearing two screams behind him. He turned around, activating his lightsaber in the process. Before he could do anything though, there was a large reptilian being standing before him. "What in the name of Darth Bane are you?"

It was all he got to say before the thing drew his left arm back and swung it at him. Yurza just barely moved out of the way as claws went centimeters from his face. He turned his lean into a backflip and landed in a defensive position, reaching out in the Force, sending out one simple message to all the Sith in the area. A message that might have been simple, but was more compicated than any dared to think about at the moment.

The Sith are under attack.

[Hara Kiri]

"Don't touch that Hara Kiri."

"Would you leave me alone Hara Kiri?"

The voices were her own as she mocked nearly every member of the Sith Order. She held a rock in her hand as she peered over the edge of the roof.

"Why'd you break the window Hara Kiri?"

She chucked it as hard as she could, but it failed to break the skylight... again.

A noise from the sky disturbed her as she looked up to check if the noise had a face. It did. A swarm of drop ships decending through the clouds. Since she had arrived, her telepathy had been increasing in power. She wasn't exactly a knight or anything, but she was talented enough to sense that the dropships weren't friendly.

----

"Someone!" She called as she entered into the residence halls. "Anyone, someone."

"Shut up Hara Kiri, we know." An adept said to her and gave her a dirty look.

"You shut up." Was her only response.

She turned to another adept in the hallway. "Where's Master Lancer? Or Master Magus? Or Master Vuntana? I need to talk with one of the Elders or something!"

He responded, "Yurza went that way." he pointed.

"And didn't you hear about Master Vuntana?" Another said, a little look of shock on his face.

"No, what is going on?" She started to scream.

"He was poisoned. He's in the med lab."

She was at a loss of words, whatever was going on had knocked out one Elder, presumably planning for the other two. "I- I- Why are we standing here?"

"We were told to stay put until someone figured out what was going on."

"Thats- Thats stupid!" Concerns of her own saftey broke into her head. "I saw a bunch of ships come from the sky. I think we need to run or hide or something."

"Go ahead, I'm not disobeying orders." Another adept said.

"Fine then. I'm finding Master Magus. Something isn't right." She said as she began to run again down the hall which Yurza had supposedly gone.

"Oh I'm sure he be sooo pleased to have you there to annoy him." She heard one say as she dashed off.

She rounded a corner, and continued to where the Force told her to go until after another corner a message hit her like a speeder.

The Sith are under attack."

"Oh jeez." She said as she continued to run finally approaching Yurza's back and in front of him a large green-brown creature.

"Oh wow." She said loudly. "Oh jeez."

[Yurza Magus]

Yurza made the mistake of turning to see who was behind. Before he could even think that it was Hara he sent sailing into her and they both went flying back into a wall.

"Ugh...," the Sith groaned as he got up to his hands and knees. "Hara...go...go get help...now..."

He looked over and saw that she was still staring wide eyed. "Now!"

Yurza got to his feet and turned his neck to the side, cracking a few bones, trying to get as loose as possible. "You wanted a Sith, well now you got one. Let's see how you do when I'm not off my gaurd!"

He sprang towards the large lizard and reached out with his right hand, calling the lightsaber he had dropped. Just before he collided with the monster, he raised his hands up, his lightsaber landing in his grasp just nanoseconds before he activated it and drop the weapon down in a downward slash. He used the Force to draw more strength into his arms. He was determined show this beast who the master was.

[Hara Kiri]

This was serious, very serious. She had never seen any Sith, let alone one of the Elders, ever in any state of physical existance similar to this. He jaw dropped for the moment as she couldn't help but turn and run with Yurza's words barely ringing in her ears.

She came to a cross in the hallways, unable to recall which way she had came from and frightened that one of the large creatures might show up behind her.

Get help! ran through her mind, where was she going to get help? She had no idea where Zereth might be and Jorshal was out of the fight... The med lab. Maybe she could help Jorshal or something. Maybe that's where Zereth might be. It seemed like her only and best choice. Knowing the lab was one floor beneath her, she headed down the hallway witht he stairs at the end.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Slowly, feeling life enter his arms and legs, Je'gan Olra'en woke up. Something wasn't right. In fact, something was quite severely not right. Floundering his way out from under the blankets, he grabbed the loose pants draped over a nearby chair and pulled them on, then straightened his t-shirt absentmindedly and gestured. His pillow rustled, and his lightsabre shot out from underneath it to thunk solidly into his hand.

And suddenly everything clicked. Awareness of the Force, clarity of mind, the anger he needed to tap the Dark Side. Snatching his utility belt from the nightstand, he buckled it on, not bothering to fasten the ties that should bind the holster of his blaster to his outer thigh. The blaster's power cell was only half-charged, but it would have to do, and he was already out the door anyways.

Hangars. He had to get to the hangars. The lightsabre flared in his hand, colouring the walls blue. Gathering the power of the Force around himself, Je'gan began to cast ahead with his mind. The danger eluded him - but it was there. A lot of it.

He descended a couple of levels, meeting people on the way who were running one way or another. He spoke to few. For the moment he did not feel the need to run he would be there soon enough. Another descent put him on the floor above the hallway that accessed the main hangar. Here he could sense a knot of intruders. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Yes...yes. They were on the level below him. He could almost point to the spot. And better yet, there were none on this level, for the moment. Taking a few quick steps, he began inscribing a rectangle in the stone with his lightsabre, slicing quickly through the floor above the hallway to create a passage. The block fell; he jumped down after it, sabre raised, looking down the hall.

His face went pale.

And he jumped back up.

Time for Plan B. Ripping the blaster from his belt, he took a solid mental grasp on it and especially its trigger. That was all he had time for: a second later, he was backflipping in the narrow confines of the upper floor's hallway. A gauntleted hand had latched onto the still-hot edge of the hole. He aimed left-handed and fired above the hand just as the first monstrosity pulled itself up into the bolt's path. The shot took it in the face and whipped its masked head back, but it kept moving, crawling up and rolling into a charge. Behind it, others were coming up.

And Je'gan was without options. Mostly. Calling the Force to him, he leapt back towards where the hallway turned. He hit the wall feet-first and dropped into a ready stance. The blaster fired three times, catching the thing in torso, gut and sword-hand - it had tried to block. Barely slowed - that leather armour had to have something to it that he couldn't see - it leapt at him with a roar. Je'gan ducked and rolled down the hallway to the left, and the monster's dead blade rang off stone. He came to his feet just barely in time to parry the sword with a wrench to his wrist and meet it chest-to-chest. Of course he went backwards, but quick as a snake he deactivated his sabre, adjusted his grip, and activated it again, sending the blade spearing into the thing's ribs. Something sharp grazed his face, and he smelled foul breath. The monster's face was a blur as Je'gan executed a partial flip backwards and hit it in the chin with his knee. It dropped, and so did he, flat on his back in a corridor that was about to be overrun.

Lightsabres hummed, and he suddenly had exit cover. The other monsters of the little gang were being jut from a hole in this ceiling by a trio of Acolytes. Scrambling free, he raised his sabre and finished off the beast at his feet. His knees felt weak, his right wrist ached, and the cut on his cheek burned. The Acolytes were losing, badly, against only two of the monsters. One boy fell, then a girl, in the seconds before Je'gan lifted his pistol again. Anger fuelled his aim.

The blaster clicked empty, and the last Acolyte fell with a monster by his side. The remaining beast turned and lunged for Je'gan. Livid, the Sith Knight set his feet.

"No.

"You.

"Don't."

Je'gan gestured, extending energy through his fist at the thing's midsection. It flew backwards, smashed into the wall, and rebounded. A cloud of darkness rushed down the hall towards it, and in the cloud a spear of brilliant blue. The monster parried it.

And Je'gan's blaster whipped it smartly in the face, hard enough that both mask and pistol bent. The monster staggered, and Je'gan ran it through. Dropping the useless pistol from his numb fingers, he spat on the carcase and surveyed the fallen Sith. All dead. Three Sith for three monsters. What a waste.

[Yurza Magus]

Yurza flicked his wrist and a fallen stone flew at the monster, hitting him square in the face, but like his other attacks, it just shrugged it off. So whatever these things are, they are full of energy, have armor that can take a lot of lightsaber damage, and they are single minded in the fact that they seem to just want to kill me. While if one of me is enough to get it rilled up, let's see about three.

The Sith Knight leapt back, easily putting ten feet between him and the monster. He opened himself up to the Force. His hate and anger and rage poured out of him, and he could feel torrents of darkside energy flowing into him. He only need to provide it an outlet. He smiled and let his lightsaber hand hang to his side, the blue blade pointing outwards. He held up his fre hand, his wrist hanging limp at the end. "You want a fight, well here it is. Come and get it!"

He flicked his wrist straight out, splaying his fingers. Suddenly, the monster saw not just the one Yurza, but three identical Yurza's standing side by side. It was a trick he had fairly recently perfected, but he doubted he would have the necessary strength to hold the illusion for a great length of time. But maybe, just enough to let him slip between the monsters defenses and kill it.

"Here we come," the three said in unity. All three charged forward, the far left Yurza holding his saber in a low stance, the middle Yurza holding his saber straight out in front of him, and the last one held his saber out behind him, as if readying for one great overhead chop. Just before reaching it, the trio despersed and came in at him from all sides. It would have been no big deal to confuse him as to which was the real Sith using telekinetics to simulate the force of his blows, but he could only do it in moderation, and if he kept that up the monster would surely figure him out. Therefore the Yurza on the left, the real Sith Knight, only completed two attacks before drawing back slightly. He watched the monster fight the other two, looking for an opening. Finally one came as it turned its back to him to deflect a blow from one of the others. He took the opportunity and rushed forawrd, driving his blade into the monster's back up to the hilt. The spot he attack sizzled and smelled of burnt flesh and blood and, what Yurza hoped was bone and nerves since he had been aiming for the nervous system. He smiled as he creature tried to walk forward, off his blade before finally falling onto its stomach in a bloody heap.

"Didn't think I had it in me," Yurza said before closing his eyes and falling forward onto his hands and knees. He was drained from that illusion, and as far as he knew as good as dead. He doubted that was the only monster in here, and unless that was the strongest one of them all he was in trouble.

"No! I'll not give up that easy," he said to himself as he pushed up off the floor and stood up. He surveyed his surroundings. He reached out with the Force and touched one of his fellow Knights. Je'gan. I think it best for us to group up. Where are you?

[Je'gan Olra'en]

A floor above the door to the main hangar. Heading towards Flight Control at the moment.

The Sith Knight kept moving, taking stock of his injuries. His right wrist ached and moved stiffly; his left hand was slightly numb; and there was a cut on his face accompanied by assorted bruising. No more sabre fighting in his immediate future. Perhaps the medbay would have been a better goal, but no matter. He was going to Hangar Control now, and -

Belatedly, it clicked. Ripping the comlink from his belt, he dialed.

"Hangar Control."

"This is Je'gan Olra'en, command code one-five-delta-one-nine-blue. Hangar bay status?"

"We've lost internal cams, but security just patched us through to a couple outside. We can't see much, sir."

"Are the doors open or closed?"

"The field, sir? It's off-"

"The emergency doors. The physical ones. Close them."

"Yes, sir." There was a pause. Yurza - Control is trying to seal the attacking ships inside the bay, on my order. In the meantime - ah, here's the locker. The young man's mental tone changed to one of great satisfaction as he came upon his secondary objective: a weapons locker. I'm at locker 16, half-way between the hangar and Control. It's mostly full. If you want some firepower...

His wrist, he knew instrinctively, wasn't up to further sabre combat or gun recoil, not without further damage. That left grenades. Not his favourite weapon, but he'd survive. Pulling thermal dets, sonics and glops fom the shelves, he clipped them to his utility belt. He took a DL-44 and slipped it into the empty holster, then tied it to his thigh. Left-handed he was only a passable shot, but in corridors...

That, he judged sadly, was about as good as he could do. He was about to step out of the locker when he became aware of a sensation in the back of his mind: danger. Near. He focused, pulling a glop grenade from his belt left-handed and pulling the pin. He took a deep breath. A leap took him across the hall even as the grenade left his hand, smashing point-blank into a lone Force Hunter's gut.

Barely on his feet again, Je'gan felt a tendril of glop strike his back, adhering to a patch of his shirt and soaking through to skin. He was already spinning; the tendril wrapped itself around to his stomach under his outstretched arm. His focus was on one thing: the Hunter.

He needn't have worried. The monstrous thing was solidly immersed in glop, stuck to the wall, pinioned. Almost totally immobile. Breathing heavily.

And soon, thanks to Je'gan's lightsabre, dying.

Never mind, Yurza. They've reached locker 16. His tone was back to grim as he stepped into the locker again and grabbed a can of aerosol glop dissolver. He began to spray himseld down. Where do you want to meet?

[Yurza Magus]

Yurza closed his eyes, and tried to catch his breath as he thought of a place for him and Je'gan to hook up. His stunt with the illusions had left him nearly drained. Until he could properly rest, he would have to rely on the Force only to tell him where danger was and use it only sparingly, and then just for physical enhancement.

Just before he suggested anything, an image popped in his mind and he shuddered. How could he have forgotten? While he cared nothing for the disciples, they were key to the Sith's survival as an Order. And while some where strong yes, they were not as experienced or seasoned as warrior as the two Knights. He quickly formed a thought in his head and sent it to his fellow warrior. Je'gan, we must get to the Citadel and help the disicples. While I care for almost none, they are the future of the Sith. We have a duty to protect the ones that are still alive.

He jumped back as he saw an orange bolt fly just centimeters from his nose. He was close enough that his head was spinning from the iodized air. Another came at him, and he ignited his blade, twirling, swinging it like a club. The lightsaber connected with the bolt and sent it flying back to where it came from, and that just happened to be in the midst of three Force Hunters. By the Force, how are there so many?

He weaved his blade as close to his body as possible to deflet the bolts, until he was able to dive down another corridor and make a break for it. AT first he srpinted using the Force, but after a few seconds of that, he felt sure enough to run at normal speed and a few moments later even slow enough to get his bearings. I'm in corridor 5-BDE. Get here as soon as possible and by any means. I doubt that anyone'll hold a grudge if you use some of that 'firepower' you mentioned, to make your own corridor. And Je'gan...hurry.

He looked back to where he came from and saw the three Force Hunters coming at him. One was drasically outrunning the two and he thanked the Force for the small miracle of being able to deal with that one solo for a time. Prehaps he would be able to take it down before the other two got down here.

He brought his brilliant blue weapon up in a defensive stance and stepped back and to the right just as the moster barrelled past him. He swung down with all his might and had it any anyother species in the galaxy, the thing standing before him would have been in two pieces, but all Yurza had to show for this was a small dent in his back and a cut along a small portion of exposed ribs. He side stepped to the right and thrust his weapon in, and was almost thrown off balance by the strength of the beast's parry. "If that's the way you want it then fine!"

He move forward and reversed the hilt of his lightsaber and brought the weapon down in an overhead arc that went from the beast's left shoulder to his right thigh. For as long as Yurza had lived, and for as long as he will continue to live, he would never be able to reproduce the anger and focus and energy he had put into that one single strike.

He stepped back and for a moment he thought he had done nothing, but then he watched wiht much satisfaction as the Force Hunter stood up straight and seemed to want to come after him. It wasn't until he tried moving did Yurza notice the cut across the monster's body. Blood began seeping from the wound and finally it's torso slid right off the rest of its body.

"Now that's more like it-Ugh!" Yurza grunted as one of the other Force hunters slammed into the Sith's back and threw him to the ground. For a moment all was dark until he opened his eyes and found the two remaining Force Hunters standing over him. Poised to strike him down. Je'gan where are you...

[Je'gan Olra'en]

5-BDE...5-BDE...where was that, exactly? The Sith's pace quickened, left hand clutching his lightsabre and right wrapped around a glop grenade. The aerosol was in his belt, digging into his gut. He knew where he was going, more or less, but unless he found a stairway soon it looked like he was going to have to follow Yurza's suggestion. After a few moments, he hissed something unpleasant and began slicing through the ceiling. A square of stone dropped, and he followed it down into a training room, careful to keep clear of the glowing edges. There was nothing closer than Yurza's approximate whereabouts: he could feel that much.

Now where was he?

The door flew open and he stepped out, ten metres away from Yurza and the hunters. A smile flashed across his face; he lifted his hand, summoned the Force, and made a 'come here' gesture. Yurza skidded towards him, sliding out from under the monsters' blades; as they moved to follow, Je'gan's glop grenade took the closer one in the chest. There was a loud bloop, and suddenly the monsters found their feet and arms glued to the walls and each other. There were disadvantages to being large and underground.

[Yurza Magus]

Yurza rolled over on his stomach and started to get up off the floor. When he raised himself to his full height, he used his left arm to wipe away a trickle of blood that was flowing from where his lower lip had been busted. He extended his right arm and called his lightsaber from where it had fallen into his hand. As soon as it slapped into his hand he dropped both arms to his side.

"What took you?" He said with a smirk as he watched the two Force Hunters. "Think we got enough time to finish these two? Or should we just get back to the disciples?"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"We can do both."

He pulled the pin on a thermal det and sent it soaring through the air to land in the glop, immovable. Stepping through the side door into the training room, he raised an eyebrow.

"So where are these disciples bottled up?"

BOOM!

The room shook. The monsters' deaths rang through the Force.

[Naira Cross]

OOC: Cross over from Sarin…

Hara ran off ahead of Naira at a surprising rate. Trying to watch your back, look for survivors and keep up with someone slowed her down just a little. Finally catching back up with her, Naira was taken to the hall where Hara had last seen Yurza. Judging by the dead Force hunter and the absence of a human body, it was safe to say that Yurza had gotten away… for now.

Not waiting for Hara to give a suggestion, Naira began to follow the path of destruction. All she heard was a “Hey! Where are you going?” coming from Hara behind her. No sooner after had Naira taken off, did the ground shake with an explosion from up ahead, and Yurza and Je’gan come in to view. “Hara, hurry up!”

[Yurza Magus]

Yurza smiled at the bang. He would have prefered to of them through means of his lightsaber. "Well last I saw any of them was in the Citadel, but they-"

He paused as he heard footsteps echoing down the hallway. He motioned to Je'gan to be quiet as he readied his lightsaber. He quickly moved into a striking position, but stopped himself when he saw Hara and Naira coming towards the two. "Well. Looks like we don't have to find them."

He grabbed Naira by the shoulders as she came running up to them. "What happened to the others?"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

.

[Naira Cross]

“What do you think happened?! Tarsis is on his way to the med lab and I saw two other adepts alive, but that was a while ago. Every one else we’ve seen on the way here was either dead or dying. We’ve been surprisingly lucky that we haven’t run in to one of those things and our luck is bound to run out sooner or later. What’s going on?!”

Up till now, no one was able to tell Naira what was happening, what those things were or anything. Yurza was an elder, so Naira was sure that if anyone knew what was going on it’s be him.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan's carefully cultivated anger became a slow burn. Reaching into the Force, he began to scan. There had to be Sith still alive-

Only then did the bleakness of what he had just thought become apparent. Seeking relief, he pressed on with the mental hunt, a process that took him only seconds but felt much, much longer, not only because it was difficult but because he didn't want to know how few of his allies were left.

Without regard to what was being said, he began to speak.

"At a guess, there are something like a hundred of those monsters still alive, probably less. There are enough Sith left to be worth saving. A knot of them has taken a stand in a room five floors above us. They are beseiged by more than they can handle. For the most part they are acolytes. Between us and them, vertically speaking, there isn't much of anything."

There was, of course, only one thing to do. Afterwards, and only then, Je'gan would let himself think of the future of the Order.

[Yurza Magus]

Yurza looked up and then back to Je'gan and Naria and then back up to the stone cieling. "There isn't you say?"

He looked at his feelow Knight and the two Alcoplytes. "Well then seems there's only one way to go and that is up. Now while I'd just as soon leave everyone else to fend for and let the strong survive, unfortunately their survival could also mean the survival of the Sith as an Order."

He flipped his lightsaber in his hand so that the blade would shoot straight up when the weapon is activated. "Let's get to work then. Je'gan and I will cut away the ceilling. You two use the Force and keep the larger pieces from hitting us ok?"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

There was already a hole in this room's ceiling. Standing under it, Je'gan summoned the Force in a measured amount, just enough to get him to the next floor. His stamina was superb, but he couldn't keep going forever. If he didn't start pacing himself soon, this rescue attempt could become an absolute debacle.

Slicing carefully through the ceilings, he made sure to keep an eye on the pieces as they fell - just in case the Acolytes weren't up to it. He didn't know what level they had reached in their training, nor did it hurt to be careful.

[Naira Cross]

Since her grasp on the Force was no where near where Je'gan's was, Naira had to use her God given strength to reach the next level. Jumping and grabbing the ledge made by the hole, she pulled herself up and began to draw the Force into herself and move the larger pieces away from the two Knights.

Finding fuel for ther rage was not hard given what had just happen. How could this happen? This was supposed to be the place where she could train in a semi- state of safety, and now it was under attack. Yeah definately not hard to get mad.

[Yurza Magus]

OOC/ Sorry about taking so long. I was catching up with a few things at work.


Yurza looked back down to see the two disciples catching the stones before looking back up at Je'gan to see him already working on the floor above him. He bent down low and then jumped, using the Force to help propel him upwards onto the next legde. He stood directly opposite of the Sith Knight and began helping him cut away at the ceiling. "Be sure to keep an eye out for anyone or anything else that might come our way. I think we are almost through to the Apprentices."

After a few more moments, they were through another hole and working on what would hopefully be one of the last. Yurza could hear footsteps coming from above them and he could only hope they were other Sith and not anything else.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

OOC/ No problem, mate.

IC/ Je'gan heard the footsteps and stopped cutting momentarily to focus on his danger-sense. Nothing was close.

But there was something below. Coming up fast, and quietly too.

Threat below us, no threat above. Course of action?

[Zereth Lancer]

The floor that Je'gan and Yurza were cutting through was unusually thicker then the rest and would take a much longer amount of time to cut through, say five to ten minutes. That was far too long and the Force Hunters were getting closer with every passing second. They were charging down the halls as they followed the scent of their dead and that of the living. Already the four sith could hear the sound of their approaching footsteps, it would only be a short while before they arrived.

Crude grunts and savage snarls could be heard, not just on the floor they had jumped up from, but from the floors they currently occupied as well. Time was rapidly running out and the two sith Knights were far from cutting through the roof. Footsteps drew even closer and when it felt like time had run out a lightsabre blade exploded through the area of the ceiling that the Knights were trying to cut through. The blade was red in color and moved quickly, proving that it must be in the hand of strong wielder. The patch of ceiling was cut away just in time, thanks to the red blade, and the patch of cut away ceiling rose up and was thrown aside, a cool and familiar voice called down to those trapped below, "Enjoying yourselves?"

They looked up to see Sith Knight Zereth Lancer looking down at them, the red lightsabre burning brightly in his right hand and an unlit sabre hilt in his left, "Better get out of there, now," Zereth said as he deactivated his sabre and returned both hilts to his belt. He extended a hand and helped Yurza and Je'gan up and out. A telekinetic pull caused Hara to fly up through the hole and Naria after her.

Angry shrieks and growls could be heard from below. The Hunters had lost their prey for now. Some of the Hunters ran off towards the closest stair case or turbolift while a few others, the stronger, taller, and more skilled Hunters moved towards the hole and started to climb up at the Sith.

Zereth ignited his sabre and racked the blade over the exposed fingers of the climbing Hunters, causing the Hunters to fall back down minus their fingers, "We have to get moving. We need to get these acolytes to safety," Behind Zereth could be seen the scared faces of two dozen or so acolytes. Zereth had spent the entirety of the invasions progression to round up all the acolytes he could and fight his way up towards the docking bay, and their deliverance, "The Docking Bay doors are heavily guarded with dozens of those vile creatures and I sense something else in the docking bay; something dark. Are you two up to fighting our way in there?" He asked and immediately one of the acolytes stepped forward, brandishing a long, odd looking pole, "I am with you all the way, Lord Lancer," The boy said before pressing a button on the staff and causing a curved pale blade to come into existence at the pole's end; a light scythe.

"Yes, I am sure you are, Ezra, but I need you to look over the other acolytes for me."

[Naira Cross]

"And what about us? I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not about to stand around and do nothing; waiting to get attacked. There has to be something that we can do." Even thinking about the idea of not acting was making her more angry by the second.

Naira knew that she was not the most advanced person there but, she had some skill and so did everyone else. It'd be a shame if all that skill was wasted. With Jorshal down for the count temporarily, the four remaining knights couldn't be every where at once, and from the looks of it, the Sith were being attacked from all sides.

[Yurza Magus]

Yurza leaned up against the nearest wall and closed his eyes, trying to regain his focus. He was breathing heavily. The cutting and fighting had done nothing to the creatures, but to him, well he considered himself lucky to even be standing. He listened to Zereth talk and then Naria's outburst and shook his head.

"Diversion. We need a diversion. Draw all of these things out and into the open. Hopefully they will be distracted enough that the rest of us can slip past them relatively easy. But it has to be something they want, or couldn't resist."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

A new glint entered Je'gan's eyes.

"Like...us, perchance? The illusion doesn't have to be complicated: a group of cloaked figures running. Give me a couple minutes to rest up beforehand and I could pull it off for quite a while. Meanwhile, you could all get out. I could catch up later."

[Hara Kiri]

"I can divert them, I think." She said softly. The whole time she had been silent as she absorbed the events that surrounded her and trying hard not to loose control. How she was to divert them, she didn't know. Why she even said she could, she couldn't explain.

You're so stupid, Hara Kiri. She thought.

Everyone was fighting, everyone had bled, too many had died and Hara Kiri stood in the midst of it all scarless. She was hesitant to admit it, but she had learned to care for the place.

As she scanned the faces of the knights and Naira, they wouldn't put their lives or anyone elses in her hands. "I mean, the illusion will work fine. I mean... I just want to help."

[Yurza Magus]

"Right now we all do, but," Yurza said, pausing to breath. "I think you'd be better at something other than that."

He looked aroudn at the others and finally nodded. "I have a plan, and a good one I'm betting."

He nodded to Je'gan. Me and you can take care of a diversion. I say Zereth lead the Apprentices to the hangar because he seems to be in better shape of us and probably has a better chance of protecting them."

He paused to breath again and leaned his head back on the wall. "Hara, out of all of us, you are in the best shape right now. I'm going to ask that you go ahead of the rest of us and sneak into the hangar and try to prep a ship for take off. Any comments or questions from anyone?"

[Hara Kiri]

The place is gotta be crawling with those things! She wanted to protest. Better in shape, obviously. But better to combat those things, definitely not. She wondered if Yurza had something against her, ignoring the fact that she had only moments ago offered to put her life on the line.

"Okay." She said softly. Was she supposed to go now? She didn't know, Yurza hadn't specified. Of course you are. She told herself. The whole situation was squeazing her mind into a whirlwind of confusion.

"Keep your head on and focus." Jorshal had said to her on their earlier training mission. "You're a Sith and therefore the best. Keep telling yourself that and never hesitate." Adopt a soldier's mentality. Ok, they'd agree on the plan, then she would do her thing; the Force Hunters had nothing on her.

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth didn't like the idea, it left too much to chance. If Je'gan was distracting the aliens, Hara infiltrating the docking bay, and Zereth watching the acolytes, then that only left Yurza devoted to offense. The risk was too great and the chances of them all getting out alive was ever lower, "I agree that we must take the docking bay, otherwise we have no chance of ever getting out. But I have only half of the acolytes here with me, there are still others lost in the temple, Jorshal along with them. Will we be coming back for him once we secure the docking bay, or will we be leaving them behind to die, if they are not dead already?"

[Naira Cross]

"I can try to go and find them, otherwise, I feel like I'm sitting here waiting to die, and not contributing to the group. When I find them, we'll head back towards the docking bay, with reinforcements. The only problem is that I don't know how long that will take." Naira was starting to wonder if she would make it back in time to help. Of course you will, just stay focused. And hurry.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"If we don't get out now, we'll die. Hopefully the others are thinking along the same lines. Now. They hunters after us - their numbers are overwhelming. I suggest-"

A handful of darts whined up through the hole in the floor, missing everybody. Two exploded; an Acolyte bit his lip in pain. The sound of running feet grew louder.

"-we run. Before we're overrun."

[Zereth Lancer]

"Move!" Zereth shoated as he pushed the nearest acolyte in the direction of the docking bay, "You two have the front. Me and Ezra have the back," He said as the sandy haired acolyte walked up beside him with his light scythe humming loudly.

Several hunters came running up from behind, their blades dancing in the light of Ezra's scythe. Zereth remained empty handed as the Hunter's approached. Darts whized through the air towards the sith, but a wave of Zereth's hand always scattered them all.

Finally the hunters were in range and Zereth reached behind his head and pulled his katana from it's sheath. The blade glowed with a faint blue hue, one that could only be seen if you looked at it hard enough. If lightsabres had proven ineffective against the Hunter's armor then perhaps a normal blade would fair better.

Zereth moved forward, sidestepping the closet hunters blade and running his blade along the hunter's flank, where the armor was weaker. Blood spilled behind as the blade as it clove through the armor and flesh. The hunter let out a gasp but did not fall. It pulled away and prepared to charge at Zereth... if not for the scythe that cleaved through his torso from behind and put the hunter down for the count.

Zereth turned to engage the other Hunters, but they were too many to engage with a katana. His red blade lightsabre came to life in his other hand and he continued to fight with both the sabre and the katana. A few hunters died, but Zereth took many hits on his arms and legs. His only hope was to delay them long enough for Je'gan and Yurza to break through into the Docking bay and get away.

[Hara Kiri]

So does this mean go now? She wondered. Even if she tried to take ahead of the group, she doubted she would be able to get ahead of the group if she wanted. They were all running from the Force Hunters, or maybe they were taking a different route to counterattack. She just realized she didn't know what anyone was doing.

She knew her mission, and that was the best she could do. Prep a ship and get ready to run. Should she tell someone she was breaking off? She looked back at Yurza, he looked pretty stressed. Nah, he gave her the orders he shoudl know what she was up to.

She came up on the corridor that lead to the lift which would take her to the hanger. She scurried away from the group and to the lift doors, hoping desperately that one of the Force Hunters wouldn't show up.

The doors opened behind her, causing her to jump and let out a short peep. She looked around before entering, nothing was there and she was sure of it, then she entered and ordered it to the hanger. As the lift took her down, every worst case scenario entered to her mind. What if the hanger was the point of invasion? What if there was a Hunter on top of the lift and she didn't know? For Hara Kiri, this was turning to a horror story, she shoud have stayed with the group.

[Naira Cross]

Hearing what Je’gan had to say made her stay. The others would be thinking along the same lines and would scatter all through out the castle. In addition to not knowing how many were alive or dead, would only make the task nearly impossible. Before he could finish, darts began to fly from the hole in the ground that they had just come up through. The Force Hunters had obviously caught up faster than anticipated, and judging from the thunderous footsteps that sounded in the background, were vast in number.

Move!

Every one made their way towards the docking bay. There was no time to think about which way to go. It was as if they were being rounded up like sheep by the wolves. Je’gan and Yurza were in the front, while Zereth and Ezra were defending the back. Moving forward, Naira would join them in the fight, when the doors to the docking bay opened.

[Ezra Na'chtion]

Ezra pulled his scythe out of the Hunter's back, and felt like wetting his pants. He was already scarred out of his wits, yes some how he managed to keep him head on straight. But had he really just cut through that Hunter's spine? He had only to look down at the body at his feet to find the answer. Yes, he had killed that hunter, and he'd done it with extreme accuracy as well. Perhaps all those books he'd read on anatomy would pay off in the world of combat.

A sly grin passed over his dark face as he turned to the melee surrounding Zereth. His grin turned into a mask of shear concentration as he started to walk towards the hunters. An dart whizzed by his head and Ezra had only to look to the side to see a single hunter standing alone in the shadows with his arm and attached dart launcher raised. This hunter was small and more squat then the others with a more human appearance and a missing eye. Obviously this Hunter had been condemned to ranged attacks because of his physical difference.

Ezra stepped sideways, the Hunter watching him carefully but not firing, as if he was daring Ezra to strike first, and strike first he did.

He pressed the extra button on the pole of his scythe, estimated the distance between himself and the hunter, and then lashed out with the Scythe, the blade of the scythe coming loose and flying towards the Hunter.

The hunter could do nothing but watch in horror and surprise as the eerie blue blade peircing his chest and went right through, the blade tip poking out his back ever so slightly. The hunter remained on his feet up to the point that Ezra pulled back on the handle of his scythe and the chain that connected the handle to the blade retracted and pulled the scythe head back on to the handle, causing the hunter to fall down in the process, "Batha's eye!" Ezra exclaimed loudly with a woop.

[Alexia Sturkov]

Alexia paced about the Hanger Bay, tapping her hand against the lightsabre hilt hanging from her belt. Several corpses had been dragged from their killzones to the docking bay. They were laid out and arrayed in a line for Alexia's inspection. Most of the corpses were beyond identification after the onslaught of the Hunters. But despite that she still manage to draw a sense of satisfaction from the sheer number of bodies arrayed before her. Lightsabres and other weapons had been collected and piled near the bodies. Blasters, knives, swords, lightsabres, everything and anything of material value found on the corpses minus their clothes. Some of the bodies were drapped in ceremonial robes or body armor. But the robes were torn and bloody and the armor was smashed and useless. Oh well, the bodies and weapons could be left here for anyone else to ventured into the Sith Order's secret base. Anyone who came in would find a stack of bodies and the weapons that had failed their users. It was a house of death now.

"Jurak, come here," She commanded and the large bulk of Jurak moved over and kneeled beside her, "I only see disciples, apprentices, and lesser knights arrayed before me. Why have your soldiers not brought me anyone of higher standing, such as Lords and Masters?", Forgive me Trinity, but a large group of sith have been moving about the compound; avoiding our troups when they can and killing them when they cannot. I have sent out every available hunter to search and kill those who flee. It is only a matter of time," Jurak looked uneasy and, possibly, afriad. His hunters had cut a bloody path through all the trails they faced before and now they were getting beat back by the very creatures they had been created to destroy. It was painful to say the least.

"Enough of your excuses. Send out another legion of hunters, no, send two more legions of hunters. I don't care about my personal safety anymore. I want those sith found, killed, and thrown upon this stack of bodies. This cleansing will be successful, or your head will be the price of failure," She was practically screaming at the towering brute, As your will it, let it be done, was all Jurak said before rising to his feet and barking orders at the Hunters positioned around the hangar bay. Half the hunters stepped out of their positions and filed out of the Hanger Bay, eager for fresh blood.

Alexia turned away and walked to the edge of the Docking Bay doorway. She looked out into the harsh desert landscapped and let out a sigh, "Where are you Zereth?"

[Zereth Lancer]

With Ezra's assistance Zereth managed to bring down all the hunters that assailed them. The last one hit the ground with a savage cut across his slender neck. It wheezed a few times and attempted to pick up it's weapon again. But it never got it. Zereth's boot connected with it's face and literally kicked it in.

His lightsabres were disengaged and replaced on his belt. His now free hands travelled along his body, checking his injuries and wounds and bandaging those that were more critical with strips of cloth from his cloak, "Let is be off," He said to Ezra before taking off down the hallway in the direction that the other sith had taken off in, "Keep an eye on our rear," Was all he got off before he increased his speed and shot off down the hallway. Ezra was very alone now.

[Ezra Na'chtion]

Ezra did his best to keep up with the long legged Sith Lord, but his legs were much shorted and his stamina far smaller. By the time he reached the rest of the sith he was wheezing and panting for breath, his forehead glistening with sweat and his hair all mucky from the fighting and running. He pushed his way through the non-combatants standing at the rear of the group and popped through to find Zereth and the other Knights and Lords hard at work dispatching another group of hunters, a small one this time that obviously had stumbled upon the sith by accident, if that was possible.

They were dealt with and the group pressed on, growing closer and closer to the Hangar Bay with every step. They reached the short corridor that came just before the door into the hangar bay, and ran straight into a large force of the strange aliens. At the front of the pack was a large brute of an alien, with sharp spikes protruding from many places on his body. The sudden appearance scared Ezra and caused him to react by throwing his weapon forward and letting the head of his scythe slide off it's handle and fly towards the brute. The alien stepped back and let the weapon fly harmlessly by, a grin of victory on it's smug face.

Ezra hit the retract button...

The body jerked back on it's chain and came flying back towards it's handle. The brute turned just in time to face the blade as it scraped along the side of his face, removing layers of skin from the side of his head and giving him a nasty burn. Darth Necross seized that opportunity of shock the brute recieved to jump forward and round house the brute beautifully in the face. He went down, knocked out, conciencly, and knocked out of the fight.

The rest of the hunters surged forward to attack the Sith. There had to be nearly two dozen of them, but they were being clumsy in their lust for their commander's killers. Such clumsiness made them much easier foes for the Sith, but the fight wasn't over just yet...

[Hara Kiri]

In the midst of the Sith Order's greatest battle on Korriban, the orders to prep a ship for the escape were simple to give. To follow through with, especially for Hara Kiri, seemed impossible. She was hardly the soldier Zereth or Yurza may be, their lightsabers a glowing blur in surreal patterns of blood and flesh. She had only held a lightsaber a few moments in her life. Perhaps like the most unpredicted of soldiers, the greatest heroes of war, she found herself thrust into battle with no choice but to fight.

To fight for what?

Between the lines of the orders shouted was not a cause to die for. No one had written a code for her to believe in. Her teachers had not given her the cause for a sacrifice. She could lie to herself and believe she would live through this to see the Sith soar down in a fury of vengance against their attacker. She could attempt in vain to believe that no one asked her to lay down her life. No, the frigid truth stared at her through the darkness as she crawled through an air duct. Death was certain and Hara Kiri was afraid.

The decorated halls and curved corridors were littered with the soldiers she was not, hunters designed to find a Sith and execute them where they stood. She wanted to believe it was ingeniuity that drove her to the ducts, but fear was the only cause for her play. Through a meter of stone she could feel the hunters searching for her, their tracking skills knew she was present but the ceiling of stone provided a facade for her movements. Still, she had fear. The vent to the corridor of which she was above grew closer, the light shined against the stone like a warning beacon. In the path to hanger was her most vulnerable point, visions of the scaly hand of a Force Hunter gripping her stomach in its palm passed before her eyes. She had to make the crossing quickly and in silence.

She deliberated before the shining gap, each second she knew her chances decreased but the fear within forbade her. Her fragile fingertips slid over the corner, all it would take was a quick pull to uproot her from her position of fear to one of renewed saftey. Dust and air filled her lungs as she prepared to make the move.

Go!

She slid with haste across the gap, her arms slowing her as they were caught on the ledge, only her legs remained as a bridge to the former side. A wind blew between her calves as an item she could only identify as a spike of sorts intruded the duct and collided with the stone. It missed her, but by mere inches. They were waiting for her there. They knew where she was the whole time. Only some fluke protected her, some inadaquacy within the Hunter saved her from being speared. She cut short her blessing and scurried away. Hopefully they could not determine her destination.

The ducts were vent free for as far as she could tell through the dark void ahead. Logically, she had no reason to fear the Hunters anymore. But her imagination provided scenario after scenario in which the Hunters were still in persuit. Their bulky bodies prevented them from getting into the ducts themselves, but perhaps they carried an unaccounted for piece of equipment that could give chase instead. Images of lethal spiders or centipedes designed to lock on Force adepts crept into her mind and manifested as she scurried quickly as if in chase.

No, she used her lessons to quide and aid her. If something was chasing, she would feel it as she felt the Hunters; or lack thereof. Something had prevented them from tracking her, she hypothesized the corridor below turned off the path of the duct. She was headed somewhere new. Her fingertips found nothing but space as her hands looked for something to help her move waved through air. The duct opened up, grew wider, or perhaps emptied into some room entierly new to her. She wished she could see.

A lesson came to mind, one of pyrokenisis that she had haphazardly skipped through. She was never one for lessons, she had already learned what she wanted to know from the Sith but never found the right moment to leave. Inexplicably she attended lessons from the Knights and Masters, barely giving any attention to them.

You struggle now, but in a time of need you will find these skills at your fingertips. She had read in a book she picked up from the library shelves. For as long as you embrace it, the darkness will serve you. Wisdom she casually ignored had somehow lingered in her mind as her eyes had scanned the facinating symbols and diagrams when she viewed the book long ago.

To the core of her heart she felt fear, the path to the darkside. To go on she must see, to stay she would die. A light manifested before her, an emblem of fear and hatred for the enemy. The path had been revealed, the room was a nexus for the winds that aired the halls of the Palace. At last the sensation of safety filled her as she knew the Hunters could never find her there.

Her toes touched the stone ground first, setting her balance for the rest of her thin body to stand. The walls of the room were solid stone, no Force Hunter could reach her there nor follow through the ducts. Whatever creatures they may send after her she could handle, she believed. The room was not completely secure, but she wanted to trust it was. She could stay there and live until the Invasion ceased and the Force Hunters left with objective either complete or not. It made no difference in the soothing caress of the stone room.

Her back slid down the wall, the dust tumbling along her body to the floor where she sat. There was no room for tears within her. Fear had sapped her of her energy, she could only stare and wait as the Force induced ball of flame glowed beside her. Her mind was a blank slate for but a moment, then the others invaded the moment of serenity she gained. From Yurza to Naira, each of them was either fighting for their lives or dead. Could they know that the trust they placed in her to meet her objective was in vain? Could they knew she had found a solace within the stone walls of the Palace? How could they? They were dead.

In the frenzy of Force Hunter's littering the palace, she found the group of Sith still fighting strong in the Force. Logic dictated they had perished against the great numbers of the invaders. Somehow they were still alive and striving to make it to the hanger. The Sith Order was being decimated, the tenth that survived had only one escape, the ship she would prep.

Hara Kiri stood up within the chamber and stared at the vent that would take her to complete her mission. She never intended on staying with the Sith longer than she needed to, but somewhere between the annoyed looks and stone walls she had found a home. Somewhere along the way the darkside of the Force became her life and in that common thread she became a Sith. Her brethren relied on her, she would come through no matter the cost. The light extinguished itself as she hoisted herself into the next vent and crawled towards the hanger.

---

Unlike the vent she had crossed through earlier, this one opened up into the lower wall of the hanger. There were more vents like it in the walls designed to keep the area supplied with clean air while the doors to Korriban's landscape remained shut. Before her were a multitude of options, she could choose where she would exit and did so under the cover of a rather large ship; the one she would prep for the others when they came.

However, a new problem presented itself: The invaders were using the hanger as a headquarters for their operations.

"Apparently both our hunters in persuit of Vuntana were killed. Neither have reported back, Vuntana is unaccounted for." One Hunter said to a woman who appeared to be in charge.

"A bulk of Sith Knights and Acolytes are pushing our way, presumed intentions to escape in a ship." The hunter continued as it viewed a datapad. "Our data gained from the Sith Protocols has yet to be proven worthwhile, while taking neccessary adjustments the Sith seem to be holding their own."

They really were alive. She hadn't been wrong about their fate afterall. Hara Kiri crept to the edge of the grating that covered the vent, she peered through it at the woman who so far had failed to notice her. Who was she?

The metal grating fell open with a loud noise, alerting Hara Kiri to the fact that she had not gone unnoticed at all. The woman glared at her, the darkside seemed to glow in her eyes. Hara Kiri was helpless as she felt a snugness take hold of her body, she could not escape. She could not prep the ship nor warn the others that they were walking to a trap.

The Force Hunters only looked on, as opposed to join the fray as they had habitually done before her when the Sith engaged them. The woman was the leader, the most powerful of the invaders. The Hunters alone were a match for a Sith Knight, had fear not twisted all thought into incoherent mush Hara Kiri would only be able to imagine what this woman was capable of. Her heart nearly stopped within her as her body convulsed in fear of her seemingly imminent death. She didn't want to die, not like this, not in fear. Despite her wishes, fear was all she could feel and as each second trudged to the next it became her.

[Alexia Sturkov]

The noise called Alexia's attention. She slowly turned her head to regard the fallen grating, her eye then slowly rising to the open hole in the wall and the girl nestled inside it. Time seemed to slow down as they stared at each other. Around her the hunters readied their weapons, laying their hands on the hilts of their swords or raising arms and aiming dart launchers. They waited for only a single word from their mistress and the girl was a good as dead.

But no such word came as Alexia continued to stare. Cogs turned in her mind as she contemplated her options. Here was a weak, obviously defenceless sithling who posed about as much a threat to her as a newborn sand panther. In time she could be dangerous, same with a sand panther kitten, but for now her claws were small and her venom undeveloped. Alexia raised her arm, extended her hand and make a beckoning motion with her hand. Hara shot out of the air shaft like a bullet from a gun as a breeze of force energy grabbed hold of her and pulled her out. She flew across the air and hit the ground of the Hangar bay, not hard but with enough momentum to propell her across the floor to finally rest at Alexia's feet.

Snap-hiss

Hara looked up to find a yellow bladed lightsabre beam inches from her face, the heat of the blade causing her face to heat up uncomfortably, "Bind her arms and legs," He ordered and the hunters jumped forward and pinned Hara to the floor before producing leather thongs to bind her arms and legs and then binding those two together to properly hog-tie her, "Count yourself lucky Sithling. For you shall be the only one who lives through this day, which is more then can be said for your cohorts. Take her to my ship," She turned away and walked across the hangar bay. Already a plan was beginning to form in her mind of what she could accomplish with this sithling. She could be many things, an apprentice, a mouse to play with, or a... peace offering. Yes, that was it. Her plan was getting better with every passing moment.

A evil grin crossed her face...

[Naira Cross]

Advancing into the crowd of hunters was like rushing into the ocean. Pushed back by the initial force but then slowly making way forwards. Naira was at a slight disadvantage. Instead of using a lightsaber, she was wielding two vibroblades. Aiming at the necks and other joints seems to be working, but just barely. If their armor could shield against lightsabers, there was no way a sword would do that much damage, but it might just slow them down. After their commander went down, they were driven by anger, only they didn’t know how to wield it to their advantage. The hunters became reckless; single minded. Nevertheless, they were still exceptionally strong and big and weren’t going down with out a fight.

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth emitted a feral grown as he spun his blade in a fast arc up over his head and then brought it down directly on to the nearest hunter's uncovered head, splitting it's scalp in half. The corpses fell to the ground and Zereth moved on, the other sith falling in behind him and making quick work of the frenzied hunters. True they now fought stronger then ever before, but they were uncoordinated and sloppy. They did not cover each other's weak spots, or even their own for that matter. Holes in their armor were easy to find with the many lightsabres and sword blades that came at them. With a swish of his hand Zereth sent three hunters fly away, not very far mind you, but far enough to put them out of the fight for a few seconds.

Time flew by like a well thrown knife. Almost as soon as the engagement started it was over. They sith pressed on, not bothering to check for survivors or to take inventory of the weapons used against them. They had a singular mission now: to survive. Zereth paused just outside the docking bay's large double doors and glanced at his 'troops', "Are you all ready for this?" He could sense the power contained within the docking bay. He didn't know what it was but it shook him to his core. Something powerful, a single being or many, sat within that hollow room. He knew details, save for the knowledge that an extreme conflict was about to arise.

[Ezra Na'chtion]

"Lord Lancer!" Ezra called as he ran up to Zereth, his lightsabre flickering off as he ran. He grabbed the Sith Lord before he could open the door and pulled him back, "Your injured," He said as he pointed to the knife sticking through Zereth's left shoulder. The Sith Lord had obviously not felt it, adrenaline and whatnot. Ezra reached up and carefully pulled the knife straight out. Zereth's face did not even flinch. Ezra stuck his hand into a bag he was carrying around his shoulder and pulled a bactapatch out. He slapped it on the wound and a second patch on the other side of the wound, since the blade had gone all the way through and poked out the other end. The Sith Lord nodded his thanks and Ezra stepped back, reactivating his sabrescythe and standing beside the Sith Lord, "Time to end this," Ezra said and Zereth reached for the control panel beside the large door and pressed the button marked "open".

[Alexia Sturkov]

Alexia spun around in a twirl of black cloth and red hair. The docking bay door was opening. She looked on with green eyes, expecting to see Jurak and his hunters step through the doorway with the bodies of slain sith thrown over their soldiers and the fallen's weapons in their hands. But instead she was met with the twin glow of two lightsabres, one red and the other ghostly blue. Many other figures could be seen behind those, and none of them were her hunters. Her eyes looked the young sandy blonde over and dismissed him as inferior and weak. But the other, a tall muscular man with black hair... "Zereth..." She whispered, his facial features softening for a moment, only to become overidden with utter anger, her face contorting into an ugly mask of hate and bitterness.

She brought her sabre up and let the yellow blade illuminate her features, "Time to die," She hissed as the remainder of her hunters, few that they were, lunged forward to engage the sith survivors, "Leave Lancer alive!" She screamed.

[Zereth Lancer]

"Time to end this"

"Yes, this is the end of this battle, but sadly only the beginning of the conflict," He did not have time to eleborate as the door slid open to reveal the docking bay, and a red haired woman armed with a lightsabre, "Head for my ship!" He ordered as he lunged forward, Ezra at his side. Hunters appeared from the shadows and charged at the group. Zereth, Yurza, and Je'gan met them head on. Lightsabres clashed with swords, melting the blades bit by bit with every strike. Armor was cut, flesh was burn't, limbs were cut, and heads were removed. Nothing could withstand the flowing flood of power that the sith are. They crushed the Invaders, the hope of escape renewing their strength. As a side thought Zereth stretched out with the force and caused the door to his transport, The Star of Oblivion, to open and the landing ramp to be extended. Those not tied into the fight headed for the ramp, lead by Naira, and ran up it before anyone could stop them. Other sith were dismissed and Zereth, Yurza, Je'gan, and Ezra were the only ones left. The last hunter was crushed and knocked to the ground. The sith were victorious!

Not...

There was a screaming hiss from behind them. Zereth whipped his head around in time to see Ezra fly across the room and slam into the side of Zereth's ship. The boy's sabre safety clicked on as it left his hand and the blue beam disapeared into the emitter at the same moment the boy's body hit the ground. Zereth turned his head back to see the woman standing there, her green eyes flashing with hate and the darkside, her sabre weaving unsteadily in her hand, "Time to die Lancer!" She screamed as she lunged forward. She was no match for the three Sith as they parried and blocked her attacks, forcing her backwards towards the wall. Yurza was knocked down by an invisible hand and Je'gan was punched in the gut my a hand that was not there. The woman turned her attention on Zereth, ready to finish him off in a similar fashion, if he'd giver her the chance. He jumped forward, grabbing the wrist of her sabre hand with one hand and punching her straight in the face with the other. She fell to the ground, her nose bleeding from one nostril and her uppil lip split and bleeding. She was visibly stunned and Zereth used that moment to help his fellow sith up and sprint for the ship before the woman could get back up. Someone had already brought Ezra in.

"Close the hatch!" He ordered as he made his way to the cockpit and fired the ship up. The thrusters were activated and the ship lifted off the ground. The docking bay door was still open, thank goodness, and the Star of Oblivion was able to fly right out and into the open air. But it didn't stop there. Zereth activated the weapon systems and fired a volley from the ships backward mounted concussion missile launchers. The docking bay blossomed with orange fire as the ship pulled away and headed for open space.

Hyperspace was achieved as soon as they cleared the gravity well of the planet. The stars stretched into lines and they disapeared into the folds of hyperspace. Zereth wondered what had become of Jorshal. He did not even know if the Sith Master was alive. He wanted to turn around and go after the Sith Master, but he first priority was to save as many sith as he could. Their destination was Corellia. The sith had a few hidden safehouses located on that planet. Those would serve their needs for the time being...

[Alexia Sturkov]

The blow knocked her senseless and off balance. She toppled to the ground and sat there, dazed and disorientated. The sound of engines roaring to life snapped her back to the moment and allowed her to force herself on to her feet. She was able to witness the ship as it headed out of the bay and up towards the sky. There was a flash of light of metal and several thin, long metalic objects could just barely be seen... heading straight for the docking bay. Alexia cursed and stretched her hands out. Every object in the room was lifted off the ground and placed in front of her to form a shield. Even the transport ships she'd come down on and any other ship in the docking bay was picked up and pulled into her shields. Pity she didn't consider closing the docking bay doors. The concussion missiles hit the other side of the docking bay, but the explosion still filled the entirety of the docking bay.

When it was all over and the smoke had cleared all that was left was a pile of scortched metal that had been her shield. Nothing moved for several minutes until a hand shot out of the twisted pile of junk, the fingers curled into a claw. Slowly she pulled herself out of the wreckage. Clothing was ripped, flesh was rendered, and blood was everywhere. She stagged to the bay door and looked out at the world outside.

She screamed.