[SAGA]: The Empty Throne [IC]

[BananaPhone]

Sienn


The twi'lek pursed her lips as her eyes opened and looked around curiously - her brow furrowing in thought.

Was it some type of explosive planted there? The paladins seemed fanatical enough that they'd prepare safeguards against being taken alive, particularly in an elaborate fashion that would take out their attackers with them.

"Pick up. We need to get to the Imperial landing zones outside the city. Colonel Tobias needs to give the orders, and I'll relay them in the absence of normal communications." Sienn said to Rada, giving him a pat on the shoulder to let him know everyone was all set to lift off. Already the twi'lek could hear and see the green lances of power skewering down from the Star Destroyers above to oblierate whatever they hit. If they struck the central tower...



Resting back in her seat, Sienn thought upwards again - her mind stretching up to one of the Star Destroyers in orbit.

To Kradu:

'Kradu. This is Vecta. Tell Kang to ensure the orbital bombardment stays away from these coordintes...*insert here*...my intuition tells me something very regrettable will occur if it is targeted.'

[Thundercracker]

Dr. Doran Kradu

Kradu's eyes glazed over for a few seconds.

"Speak of the devil," he mumbled.

"Captain," he said, "I've just received a message from our blue... friend. We're to avoid bombardment of the following coordinates."

He pulled out a datapad and started punching numbers as they came to him.

[RandomLunatic]

All this work for a perfectly good Trojan Gunship and she throws it away? Sheesh. No wonder the Empire was going down the 'fresher.

"At least tell 'em not to blast the gunship that squawks channel 7. An escort would be preferred."

[BananaPhone]

Sienn

The twi’lek offered a calm, matter-of-factly anodyne, “If we encounter danger I’ll get us to safety.”

Peering out one of the viewports of the LAAT/i, Sienn narrowed her green eyes as her mind went over the various scenario's in which that buildings destruction would produce a detrimental affliction on Imperial forces.

“But there’s…something about that central tower. Rebel air traffic is avoiding it and I sense..." she shook her head, "we should leave it be for now."

Reclining back in her chair, the Sith stretched her will out once again.

'Old man,' she spoke into Sirahk's mind, 'where are you? What can you see?'

[Noedig]

Sienn

Spoiler

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A presence as cold and as black as death answers, the voice in your head a sweet, grandfatherly tone.

"There you are child. So sorry, but Sirahk is absent at the moment."

There is a pause, and you get the sense a good bit of laughter.

"Perhaps I can be of assitance?"

[RandomLunatic]

"I'd just prefer some way to let the guys we're trying to meet know we're friendly, that's all. We're flying a bird wearing enemy colors and broadcasting a hostile IFF code, Rada said, applying power to the repulsors to gain some altitude in case a turbolaser blast went astray.

"The no-fly zone ain't that mysterious. They're keeping something important in that tower, and they've been fighting insurgents. Clearly, they just want to avoid the possibility of of said insurgents commandeering one of their craft and kamikazing it into the tower. Yannow, like I just did. In 20 minutes. By accident. You guys do the same thing with your super-secret installations."

"You know what does confuse me? The way those guys in the sewer all dropped when their leader bought it. Like droids that had their off switch hit. You know how that might work, or how we could do it again?"

[BananaPhone]

Sienn

Sienn didn’t respond to Rada’s words. Instead she seemed to stare off into space, her green eyes vacant.

Spoiler: Noedig

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Sienn’s skin shivered at a new, potent presence infringing upon her thoughts. The arid sensation was as unfamiliar as it was unwelcome. There was only one other figure that had been able to inspire greater degrees of primal dread within her, and he was long gone.

‘I has been some time since I last spoke to a puppet master.’

[Noedig]

Sienn

Spoiler

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Puppets are a great deal more fun when they wear flesh and think themselves free of their strings. Shall I make the smuggler dance? Or the colonel? Perhaps the spy? The soldier you left behind is remarkably pliable. As is the woman. And you, dear child. All it takes is a little, tiny jerk."

Your lungs seize for a moment and your diaphragm spasms trying to regain its rhythm. You felt what could only be described as a string in your mind pulled suddenly taut and then released.

"You know not with whom you traffic."

[BananaPhone]

Sienn

The twi’lek seemed to cough roughly as if something had abruptly caught in her throat. As quickly as she had started, she settled down to basal levels, eyes still gazing off.

Spoiler

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‘I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of introductions.’ She thought into the void. Slivers of hatred simmered across her skin and the twi’lek wondered who ‘the woman’ was, under the assumption that ‘the soldier’ was Taviks minion, Carver. Who else could there have been?

[Noedig]

Sienn

Spoiler

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"Nor shall you at this time, child. All you need know is that I watch you with increasing interest. Ta-ta, little one." The presence recedes, leaving something of a chilly vacuum in your mind.

[BananaPhone]

Sienn


Sienn blinked as she seem to come out of whatever daydream she had experienced, her eyes peering around as if attempting to spot something only she could see.

A myriad of questions flew through the twi'leks head as she pondered the spiritual and security implications of another presence that could interdict its will across vast expanses. The concept of other powerful Force users in the galaxy was nothing new to her...she had spent a career hunting them down, of course. But, unknown capabilities ascribed to an indecipherable intention was...unsettling to say the least.

Could the Imperial land invasion continue? Sienn thought so. If this entity, whoever it was, had wanted to put an end it to it it could very well have done so, at least for the time being. Perhaps it was more mercurial in nature, not caring about the fate of a planet or two if some overarching goal was maintained.

Perhaps that's why it surrounded itself with its paladin lackeys. Maybe each member of this organisation was just a node - an extension of this creatures will whose manifestation endowed the host with a modicum of the Force, or at least the ability to manipulate it. That could explain the peculiar, hive-mind-esque defeat of the rebel forces within the sewer upon the destruction of the paladin that served as their leader.

Hmmmm.

Coming back to the present, Sienn peered out the window in observation of their surroundings, "How long until we're out of the city?" she asked Rada.

[RandomLunatic]

"Oh, we should be landing in ten minutes or so. Unless we start picking up friendly fire, in which case we land a bit sooner. And messier."

[Noedig]

City Group

Spoiler

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Before Rada can answer, a bright green lance of energy scythes down into the city about a klick away, vaporizing a city block and sending an expanding wave of heat and pressure plowing into the LAAT/i you've commandeered. The craft bucks wildly and you struggle to control it.

Spoiler

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Pilot check please.

Kang & Kradu

Spoiler

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Kang's personal comm buzzes. It is Major Dagan, the commanding officer of the ground troops on your ship.

"Sir, the ship batteries are in the process of clearing out LZs for ground troops. We're awaiting your orders to begin landing. Do we have a go?"

Almost before she finishes speaking, your comm buzzes a second time.

"Sir this is flight control. We're not receiving telemetry data on ground side targets, and we have no intel on anti-air positions. Major Dagan is pushing for go orders, but we cannot, I repeat, cannot guarantee air superiority at this time."

[RandomLunatic]

"Sith!" Rada spat as he wrestled with the controls.

((Pilot - (1d20+6)[22]))

[Noedig]

City Group

Spoiler

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The LAAT/i bucks wildly and Rada barely manages to keep control of it, losing altitude in the process and coming perilously close to the rooftops as he speeds out of the city.

Spoiler: OOC

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Perception check from every one on the craft. Meaning....two people.

[BananaPhone]

Sienn

"Please keep us clear of the city incinerating orbital turbolaser strikes." Sienn spoke to Rada as she retained the contents of her stomach in the wake of the LAAT/'s jeering.

"Gal nu nenx itik nw'l is sis miestas?" she uttered under her breath, turning to peer out her window and narrowing her eyes slightly into distrustful slits.

[RandomLunatic]

"But they're soooo pretty!" Rada protested.

[Noedig]

City Group

Spoiler

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Other than planet shattering turbolaser fire lancing downward at irregular intervals, your little craft is the only thing in the sky. Also, Rada notes that the turbolaser fire is somewhat...helter skelter. They don't appear to have a good idea of what they're shooting at. They're certainly destroying what they hit though, which is of debatable use.

[RandomLunatic]

"Uh, Vecta, are you sure they're here to invade the place, and not just drive down local property values by bombing random targets?" Rada asked.

[BananaPhone]

Sienn

"As much as I greatly desire influence over Rear Admiral Kangs actions, regrettably he remains in charge of his faculties and by extension the targets of his gunners," Sienn said while peering out the window.

"Or lack there-of." she added while viewing the smoldering remnants of a city block. She imagined the Star Destroyers instruments were more accurate than this...was he letting the Stormtroopers have a go?

"You don't find it curious that we are the only thing in the air?" she asked.

Looking back at the city, then upwards towards the sky through the canopy of the LAAT/i, she wondered just how far this...Force users control could extend. Perhaps the gunners...

Telepathy to Kradu:
'Dr Kradu...check the accuracy of the ships gunners; they're just hitting random targets.'


ooc:

Spoiler

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Use the Force check for a full round action: any Force user in 100kms pings on her radar: 1d20+19=21


Well hoopti-doo, I don't sense ****.

[RandomLunatic]

"Nope, definitely weird," Rada confirmed. "Makes me wonder what they've got waiting. Just enough flak they don't want their own stuff getting hit, or something worse?

"Of course, if they are all grounded at base, that makes an attractive target that has the advantage of not being near here."

[Thundercracker]

Dr. Doran Kradu

"Sir," Kradu said, "I think we should check the accuracy of the turbolaser gunners, there may be some interference with our targeting systems. The twi'lek is reporting the orbital bombardment is less the pinpoint accuracy we're accustomed to."

If Kang is not in disagreement, Kradu will step onto the bridge to review the targets, the hit rate, and what kind of collateral damage was being caused.

[ChronicLunacy]

Rear Admiral Andan Kang

As soon as Kradu started receiving telepathic gunnery advice, Kang strode back out onto the bridge with the Doctor close behind. "Check fire!" Kang barked to his gunnery crews. They'd immediately stop and start recalculating their firing solutions while Kradu gave them more information. He was inclined to believe that there was some sort of sorcerous Force interference before he blamed his gunners for bad aim. His crew was the equal or superior of any in the entire fleet; a point the Admiral prided himself on. "Ask Lady Vecta to please find a commlink if she is to provide any more tactical insight, Doctor. I'd like numbers rather than vague intuition. I'd also like to speak to Colonel Tobias if my ground commander isn't dead or too busy." he frowned.

Kang went to his command dias and opened up another channel, this time to his wing commander. "Commander Sandez, arm your ion bombs. Your target is that tower, but I don't want it destroyed..."

[BananaPhone]

Sienn


The twi'lek pursed her lips, "The paladins have been nothing but duplicitous this entire campaign. I don't know what they have in that tower that radiates such..." she trailed off, her eyes narrowing again in thought.

Looking at the computer systems of the LAAT/i, "Hardware is not my forte. Could this machine have anything locked in its databanks that provides anything useful? Entrance codes? Previous flight data? Prior communications?"

[RandomLunatic]

"The main computer was blank when I checked it. There was a datapad up here in the cockpit that I was able to pull a flight plan from. I'd give it another look but I'm a little occupied avoiding the shiny instant death rays coming from above."

[BananaPhone]

Sienn


'Where's Sparkles when I need him...' Sienn uttered quietly to herself.

Taking the datapad from its location, Sienn turned around to peer into the back where the others were currently crowded.

Holding the datapad up and giving it a little wave, she asked "Anyone computer literate?"

[BananaPhone]

Sienn


The twi'leks eyes widened slightly as she spotted the two bodies tucked away in the far back of the LAAT/i, nestled among the supplies.

Turning to look at Rada as she started to slowly get out of her seat, "When were you planning on telling me about them?" she asked, pointing a black-nail tipped finger.

Holding onto the railing as she walked through the landing craft to the back, Sienn used one hand to reach out and grab the helmet of one of the captives - turning it this way and that in inspection.

"They come with the model?" Sienn joked over her shoulder, loud enough to be heard above the engine while her eyes remained glued to the prisoners.

Standing firm, her lekku's swaying with the motion of the LAAT/i, Sienn reached out with splayed fingers and clasped them against the first pilots head.

"Do not resist."

ooc:

Spoiler: OOC

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Using Drain Knowledge vs Targets Willpower: 1d20+13=29

"Additionally, your target moves -1 persistent step on the condition track, and can be removed only by resting for 8 hours. You can choose to sift through your target's mind, looking for specific pieces of information or knowledge. Doing so requires you to make a Perception check against the target's Will Defense; success indicates that you pull the relevant information from the mind of your target. When doing so, you do not gain the training or focus normally granted by this talent, but otherwise the talent functions as normal."

Relevant information: What the ****s going on.

[Thundercracker]

Dr. Doran Kradu

"I don't think it works that way, Captain," Kradu replied, "it's not like a two-way comlink."

Nevertheless, the doctor attempted to 'think' to Vecta about the comlink.

"Sir," Kradu said, "I thought I might head down to the surface with the troops, perhaps not as part of the first wave, but certainly shortly afterwards. If the enemy has left any surprises for us, it might be best if I were there to disarm them. Plus I'd like the opportunity to gather more research."

Spoiler

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This is a blatant attempt by me to get Kradu into some of the action, I feel I've been on the periphery for far too long, and with Chronic rolling up a new character, I don't want to get left out entirely. I'm sure a sniper can do something with an extra standard action per round.

[RandomLunatic]

"Whenever they dried out. I tried questioning them and figured out they're too pickled to talk. Coherently, anyway," Rada said.

"And no, that's the wino package. I didn't want it, but this was the only one in this color on the lot."

[ChronicLunacy]

Rear Admiral Andan Kang

"This Force sorcery is so unreliable..." the Admiral noted with some small amount of annoyance. "Yes, Doctor. Feel free. If I know the Paladins they will have left plenty of awful surprises for us."