last_kallig | OOM: The Black Talon

(OOC: Some lines taken from canon.)

Ibani feels the Vaiken spacedock before she can see it, a bright burst of life amidst the cold of space. The emotions and presence of thousands presses against her mind, floods her senses. For the space of a few breaths it's almost too much to bear as the shuttle comes in to dock. She has never been around this many people before, and it takes effort to pull her senses back, to filter out the cacophony she can feel through the Force.

She gives a sharp shake of her head and glances toward Khem. She moves to exit the shuttle and Khem Val follows, clearing a wide path through his looming presence.

They wind through the station toward the shuttles headed for Dromund Kaas when they are intercepted by a Duros in Imperial uniform. "Greetings, my Lord. I was told to look for someone of your description. A Lord Zash has arranged a berth for you and your companion on the Black Talon."

"I see," Ibani says politely. She's still not used to being addressed by 'my Lord', even if it IS the appropriate title for a Sith. "Well, it would be a shame to waste my Master's forethought. If you would direct me to where the Black Talon waits?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

infinitest

"If that is the best you can do, I will just push you back, meter by meter out of this ship, just as the Republic pushed the Empire into the dark edges of the galaxy!" The Padawan leaps at Ibani, while the Troopers open fire; Marines and Bounty Hunter return a blaster barrage of their own, while Khem Val just watches the force-users duel.

Edited Date: 2014-02-14 09:07 pm (UTC)

From:

last_kallig

Ibani frowns at the mention of the Great Hyperspace War. Does this, this, CHILD, not realize what that driving back entailed? That her precious Order encouraged and assisted the Republic in genocide? Or does the attempted ends justify the means?

"Your ignorance is appalling," she drawls as her own lightsaber parries the leaping blow from the Padawan. "But I haven't got the time to teach you history."

Ibani leaps back, the flickering shield of lightning that forms around her body blocking the second leaping blow. The two exchange a few more blows while Ibani sizes up her opponent.

Ibani smiles. "You know your forms, but you are green, Jedi. You've never fought in earnest before, have you?"

Ibani pushes her saber forward in a quick jab designed to put the Padawan off balance. "I'd looked my own death in the eye when I was half your age." With her other hand, Ibani sends a burst of lightning at the Padawan, designed to temporarily hold her in place with a combination of pain and the interruption of the signals to her skeletal muscles.

From:

infinitest

The padawan manages to deflect the burst of lightning with Force and saber, but just barely. "Good to know you started your murdering career early, Sith! I bet you're really proud." She gives a hard force-push and charges after Ibani for the hawk-bat swoop.

From:

last_kallig

Ibani is pushed back by the force-push, but does not fall. She tsks at the Padawan. "You're even better at jumping to conclusions than you are at jumping obstacles. I'm proud I survived, little Jedi."

As the Padawan reaches the high point of her arc, Ibani shoves, HARD, with the Force. Even if the Padawan doesn't hit the wall, it's going to be awfully hard for her to dodge another paralyzing lightning burst.

Edited Date: 2014-02-15 02:26 am (UTC)

From:

infinitest

A more experienced Jedi could avoid hitting the wall, and evade the force lightning... Yadira is not a more experienced Jedi; she tries to do both, and fails, hitting the wall sideways, being shocked, and the faceplanting the cold durasteel floor.

Yeah, she's out.

Without leaping force-users in the way, Bounty Hunter and marines pin down the Republic troopers.

Edited Date: 2014-02-15 03:54 am (UTC)

From:

last_kallig

Seeing Yadira go out cold is satisfying, Ibani must admit.

A brief telekinetic tug, and the Padawan's lightsaber is in her hand. The holocron from Spindrall included instruction on fighting with two lightsabers, and Ibani has been curious to try it out. Waste not, want not!

"Looks like you won't get to eat me today," she says with a dark smile to Khem. "But it's time to pursue our first objective and let my experiment steep in her failure for a while."

From:

infinitest

"And let your enemies live" Khem snorts. "You'll maybe live long enough yourself to regret it, little one."

A grenade blasts a few troopers, and one more falls to a well-placed vibroblade stab; having an Imperial Intelligence Agent on your side is useful.

From:

last_kallig

"Killing is brief, shame lasts a lifetime," Ibani replies as she shoots lightning at a few troopers.

Very handy, yes. With the Jedi down it won't take long for them to mop up the remaining troops.

That done, it's time to head down the hall with haste and hope that they can catch up to their target.

From:

infinitest

They do not have to go very far; there are droplets then spatters of blood on the floor, staring near a blasted power conduit, and they continue to the antechamber of the escape pod airlock.

There, they find a wounded human cyborg, leaning to a wall, right arm covering a wound on his upper abdomen; his clothes are singed and torn, the man having been likely hit when the conduit back up the hallway exploded.

"You can put aside your weapons;" the man tries to keep a steady voice "there's nowhere I can run, and it would be foolish to try."

From:

last_kallig

"You've caused quite a bit of trouble, General," Ibani replies, gazing speculatively at him.

Her mind reaches out to his, carefully. It will help in determining whether he's telling the truth, and she's planning to 'say' some things to him shortly that she would rather other people didn't hear. "Why did you betray your people, your Empire?"

From:

infinitest

"If you knew what I knew, you'd understand... what both sides are planning to do," he shakes head, disgusted "so eager to restart the war. Energy fields that choke planets, missiles that darken suns; both the Republic and the Empire are planning to raze worlds and extinguish whole civilizations."

Edited Date: 2014-02-15 05:05 pm (UTC)

From:

last_kallig

Having someone 'speak' inside your head has got to be strange, we admit. "I can not let you flee, General. But you and I both know all too well what would happen to you if you returned to Imperial custody." Flickers of the torments Ibani has been on the receiving end of during her training as an Inquisitor. "They will break you, take every secret, every name, everything you are before they execute your body."

Ibani is decidedly unnerved by what the General says, but she doesn't let it show. "And you thought your defection would change that?" she asks with a skeptical drawl.

From:

infinitest

The man frowns, and shakes head. "I thought maybe I could keep the stalemate going longer; now I see it's too late and the so-called peace is lost already."

"So, you have me, my stomach full of blood, and my cybernetic implants full of stolen military secrets. What are you going to do, Sith?"

From:

last_kallig

"The only mercy I can offer you is a quick death, General. Will you take it? Ibani's voice whispers in his head. The General gives a quick, almost imperceptible nod, holding her gaze.

Ibani paces closer to the General, her power restless. Her lightsaber's blade turns on, a bloody red. "Death is the price of betrayal, and you must pay it."

Her lightsaber swings, a crimson blur that parts his head from his body in the blink of an eye; a short burst of lightning follows to thoroughly fry his implants and make the secrets unrecoverable.

Edited Date: 2014-02-15 06:02 pm (UTC)

From:

infinitest

Nobody seems shocked or surprised at the execution; that's what Sith do, after all.

"Right," the Bounty Hunter taps the side of his helmet "Mako says the Pubs are breaking past, and the bucket of bolts says we need to go because the Talon is starting to take damage."

"There's an emergency tram that way, it will take us back to the hangar" he points.

Edited Date: 2014-02-15 06:54 pm (UTC)

From:

last_kallig

It is what Sith do, which should help Ibani build a more 'Sith-like' reputation. She can't afford to be seen as weak.

Ibani nods in acknowledgement to what the man said. "An excellent idea". She heads toward the tram at a quick pace. Time to get off this ship!

Edited Date: 2014-02-15 07:06 pm (UTC)

From:

infinitest

They all rejoin at the hangar; the marine contingent is heavily depleted, but the shuttles are safe and they can climb in and fly back to the Black Talon.

The moment the strike team is safe inside the hangar, the Imperial ship maneuvers away from the Brentaal Star, seeking to escape cannon range to jump into lightspeed.

From:

last_kallig

Ibani is not surprised that the marine contingent is heavily depleted, but she's glad they held their ground despite the odds.

The shuttle trip back is both quick and silent, and Ibani is very glad to see the inside of the Black Talon again.

As the ship maneuvers out of canon range, she heads back up to the bridge. The job is done, but there are reports to make, still.

Edited Date: 2014-02-15 07:19 pm (UTC)

From:

infinitest

"My Lord." Captain Orzik bows to her, and the rest of the Bridge crew does likewise. "We are just collecting the last escort fighters before jumping to lightspeed."

"Grand Moff Kilran is eagerly awaiting your report" NR-02 speaks up. "Should I put him through?"

From:

last_kallig

Ibani nods. "That is good news," Ibani replies to the Captain. She's surprised they have escort fighters LEFT.

She turns to the droid. "If you would, please. No reason to delay the report."

From:

infinitest

"Opening channel now." The droid activates the main holo.

"How fortunate to see again my friends aboard the Black Talon" Kilran sounds very... affable, over the holo. "The droid has been keeping me appraised on your work, but I'd very much like to hear about it from you; how did the attack go?" Earnest too.

Edited Date: 2014-02-15 10:47 pm (UTC)

From:

last_kallig

It's easy to be affable when you get your way. "The General is dead and his implants damaged beyond the point of possible data recovery," Ibani begins. "There were casualties, of course, but fewer than I would have expected."

Clearly, the Empire trains her troops very well indeed.

From:

infinitest

"Pity, it would have been useful bringing him back alive, but in the end, it makes little difference" Kilran nods, waving dismissively. "You should be proud, the General was one of the greatest weapons the Republic could wish for: a defector. And you snatched him from their hands. I'll remember this, and I'll make sure you are all properly rewarded."

From:

last_kallig

Ibani nods in acknowledgement, glad Kilran isn't too upset over the General's death. "I hadn't expected to serve the Empire's interests so directly this soon, but I'm glad to have taken such a weapon out of enemy hands," she replies.

Hopefully, being remembered by the Moff will be an advantage as opposed to a problem in the future.

From:

infinitest

"And the Empire is grateful for your dedication; soon you'll be joining us on the Homeworld, and seeing for yourself what you'll be fighting for" Kilran nods to her. "It should be inspiring. Enjoy the rest of your journey; Kilran out."

After the holo disconnects, Orzik gives an almost imperceptible sigh. "With your permission, my Lord, we'll be setting course for Dromund Kaas. Your cabin is ready and waiting."

"All of you" he adds, addressing the others.

Edited Date: 2014-02-16 12:45 am (UTC)