Quicksand

[Jacobi Wylcott]

---MANDALORE SECTOR
---VORPA’YA SYSTEM
---VORPA’YA - O-7


War.

For half a decade the world of Vorpa’ya had been engrossed in a war that stretched the length of the entire world. The Great Clan Ordo, proud and honoring the warrior ways of the Mandalore refused to give in to the so called ‘peace accords’ set up by Clan Bralor and Clan Sorrel. They were meant to bring peace from the long standing Mandalorian Civil War - in reality they ‘d only buried the problem and turned a blind eye as it festered and bitter rivalries continued to flare. Ordo had not accepted this truce though they had gone to the world of Vorpa’ya in seclusion of the rest of the Sector, those who would come would encroach the territory of a Clan and face the consequences.

Other Clans followed suit with Sorrel and Bralor in this false treaty only to blind themselves of the warrior traditions of old. It was a sham to permit Sorrel control over everything in the name of safety, security and law enforcement. Warriors - venerable and with pride in their hearts were given an ultimatum - either conform like a good dog or face arrest. Many refused and fled, being cast out of the Mandalore Sector.

Though there was one Clan that refused. Ordo. Erecting their Clan’s flag here on a world covered in dust and sand, they dared Sorrel to come and dislodge them. Ordo didn’t have to wait long. Sorrel, united with the other Clans of Mandalore and with law and order on their side, came to squash the insurrection of Ordo for good.

Five years this warfare has raged. The bastions of Clan Ordo still stand to this day. Reinforcements come from outside of the Sector, disillusioned Mandalorians forced from their homes by the treaty. With their numbers swelled it looked like Ordo would stand a chance against the tyranny that wanted their heritage to be thrown to the past and silenced. But Sorrel would not allow a rogue state to develop and their efforts redoubled. Making a grand invasion on a planetary scale, Ordo was forced to stretch themselves to defend every strategic location and barely through this trench and fortification style warfare have they kept the fight going - but through the course of five years of sustained combat - even the hardiest of people would begin to crack under the strain. Though they fight as Warrior Poets of a bygone age, Ordo is slowly being pushed back and into the sea.

Specifically in a week long battle - Clan Sorrel, supported by large elements of Clan Bralor and the Mandalorian Guard, launched a spearhead attack into the front lines of the Ordo trench works. Through the use of massive artillery barrages and aerial strafing runs, the earth works were overrun section by section. Now, the final push is underway and a leading element of Clan Bralor strikes at the heart of Ordo. It is only a matter of time.

[Emic Lai]

---MANDALORE SECTOR
---VORPA'YA SYSTEM
---VORPA'YA, O-7
---VORPA'YA WILDERNESS

Sunrise over the desert. A sandstorm was brewing on the horizon as Emic emerged from her tent. A pair of sunglasses sat on her crimson nose. A sleeveless shirt covered her torso, tucked into her fatigues. The rest of Aurek-112 milled about the camp. The whole installation was entirely camouflaged, low tents colored to match the ground, all personnel clothed in desert fatigues. Welcome to Vorpa'ya.

"Anything new on sensors?" Emic asked the comms operator.

"Nothing yet, Chief. Looks like Ordo's in trouble, though. Reports from Op Acre say they're getting pushed back pretty far."

"We'll keep waiting. You know what to look out for." Emic ordered as she left to speak to Lieutenant Dunwich.

The Lieutenant sat reading, uniform crisp as ever. Emic spoke first. "I can smell the blood on the air. We're going to see some action soon."

"Ready to show some Mandalorians how you do it on Iridonia?" the Lieutenant smiled.

Emic rolled her eyes. "Don't flatter me."

"The Kings in Yellow are about to prove themselves."

[Jacobi Wylcott]

Being a battlezone of nearly half a decade Vorpa’ya has seen its share of savage battles. One such battle on record was the orbital battle at the outset of the original Mandalorian Civil War. Two large fleets clashed amidst the orbital station and they battered themselves to pieces with only a few surviving ships to claim victory out of a clear stalemate. In doing so, this clash of titanic starships left a scene of carnage. Hulls of hundreds of ships left to drift in the void. Overtime Vorpa’ya gripped the debris and slowly pulled the hulls of these dead warships into what is now an unnatural ring around the planet. Being that so many died in the naval battle and that many had become trapped within these hulls next to the volatile natural of the orbit itself which makes navigating the ring a high risk venture - the ring has been given the unflattering nickname of the Graveyard.

Due to ‘no-fly zones’ imposed by Clan Ordo and the Mandalorian Guard respectively, the only passage in which many starships can come to Vorpa’ya is through the Graveyard. Should anyone approach through the more clear areas they would be either intercepted by Mandalorian Fighters or simply shot down from anti-air flak guns. The Graveyard was essentially the unofficial gateway to Vorpa’ya that spanned the equator of a war torn world.

While the Mandalorian Sector was not home to a Fleet of any size anymore, the world of Mandalore still employed the use of a precious few under the Mandalorian Guard. Entering the Mandalorian Sector was no longer the risk it once was thanks to the demilitarization that Clan Sorrel forced upon the Sector’s Clans. This glaring weakness would come back to haunt the Mandalorians in a galaxy so volatile as this one.

---VORPA’YA
---THE GRAVEYARD

Weeks had passed now since the reforming of the Krath under the new High Priest, the kidnapping of Kita Ikari and the trip into Hutt Space, and finally the return of Tormentous into the Gordian Reach where he had sent Warvanus to go and find Kressara - whom he met and recruited as well. After these things and a short hiatus to gather some proper gear and equipment from Ziost they had all met again but this time it was on the edge of the Mandalorian Sector. At this rendezvous the entire party was given a briefing of their mission.

Clan Ordo was under attack. They were the last standing Clan that had refused the constrictions of the pacifist society that Clan Sorrel demanded for the Mandalorian people. Their mission was multi-layered. First and foremost they would go to the warzone and link up with Clan Ordo and prevent their oppressors from finishing the job of extinguishing all resistance. Keeping Ordo alive would keep the war in the world going and in doing so would force Sorrel to devote more resources to putting this insurrection down which in turn kept all eyes focused on the hypocrisy of Sorrel who declared pacifist ideals while attempting to destroy Ordo through force for being non-compliant.

This did not end there. Clan Ordo was among the most tenacious of Warrior Clans. If they could be supported then they would take the fight back to Sorrel. Eventually Ordo would break out of Vorpa’ya and bring forth the conflict across the Mandalorian Sector once again. For the ideals and freedom of their people - this was a worthy cause.

To the Sith - this was a situation ripe for the picking. With an entire Sector of space that was buried deep within the Imperial lines of territory in a state of conflict, the Empire would once more be forced to respond and pull even more forces away from the Galactic Alliance and Gordian Reach to ensure their interior wasn’t threatened by a civil war spilling out and getting on their things. This was a roiling cause and affect scenario where the chaos of a people would allow the Sith to operate with more freedom even if it was just lessened slightly.

Then came the true purpose of the Sith - or in this case the plans and designs of Tormentous. By keeping this war ongoing and pledging his support to Clan Ordo, he’d gain invaluable allies in coming conflicts. Who wouldn’t want teams of Mandalorian Supercommandos on your side!? If he allied with Ordo in this conflict he would eventually be able to press for a Sith Outpost or even a Base on Vorpa’ya and with an operating center located away from the Reach and within Imperial Space would be a strategic boon. Yes, Tormentous was playing the long game here. Because if the Empire ever found out and tried to act and crush a Sith Base in the Mandalorian Sector then they’d be seen as pressing an offensive into neutral space - the Galactic Alliance and other galactic communities would act - and then the Sith would have other factions of the galaxy fighting to defend it all while the Sith sat back and mocked them all.

But the important part here was the ensure Clan Ordo wasn’t wiped out in this latest offensive.

Once more, posing as Jacobi Wylcott, Tormentous prepared his small team of Sith with his briefing. He laid down emphasis that the hardest part of all would be planetfall. They needed to get to the surface in the right area without getting shot down, traverse the terrain and get to Clan Ordo Headquarters where they could learn of the full scale of the situation and then the Sith could act from there.

But he would not have his team going in ill-prepared.

Aboard the Firespray-31 Assault Craft ‘Jai-Galaar’ - while his ship AI pulled the ship out of hyperspace, Tormentous stood in the cargo hold. He was fully decked out in his steel grey Mandalorian plate - beskar’gam. Complete with a small jump pack, he had his A-280K Blaster Rifle on a sling, his bastard sword on his back in a sheath between the jump pack and backplate, his gauntlets, twin pistols on his thighs, deployable vibroshield on the small of his back and his helmet sat on the ground by his foot.

Kita Ikari was there too, no doubt she had many questions of the situation and Tormentous would humor her for now if she voiced them. Where he originally gave her a bodyglove and oversized boots, he now provided the blue eyed girl with whatever armor type and style she desired including tailored combat boots. That wasn’t all, her small dagger and pistol had been set aside and now he gave her full access to his own personal armory. If she could carry it and wanted too, then it was hers.

Also here in his ship was Kressara Thryn and she too was given access to whatever her heart desired from armor to weapons. No expense was to be spared here. If they wanted it then that was what it was. Let it not be said that Tormentous would send his people into a warzone without being properly equipped.

Finally, of course Lord Warvanus was here too but aside from his own gear, he was already very well dressed for the occasion. That said Tormentous wouldn’t say no to any request made. If Warvanus wanted some extra then it would be done.

[Kressara Thryn]

Kressara kept to herself for the most part of the flight through hyperspace, sitting on a crate to the edge of the cargo hold with her head down. Now most would chalk this up to some sith like, brooding, dark and mysterious desire to be viewed as a loner...but in truth Kressara had a horrible phobia of space travel. For something so vast and full of life, the prospect of traveling in a limited range of motion through an airless vacuum made Kressara’s claustrophobic tendencies peak. Nausea left the usually outgoing sith woman silent until their destination drew nearer.

Freshly trimmed platinum locks trailed down to the ship floor as she leaned with her elbow against her knees. The arrival of her fellow interstellar travelers was cause enough to lift her chin. Kressara cleaned up pretty nicely after her initial release from the spire prison. Her skin, though paler than before, was an even tone baring very few signs of scaring save for her hands and whatever hid beneath her armor. Over the body armor she wore her favorite old leather duster jacket zipped from the tailored waist up to help keep her warm. The coat’s hem fell at mid calf length with enough of a gap for ease of movement, tall combat boots laced to her knees. On her hip rested a vibroblade along with a belt holding a shield generator, pistol, and thermal detonator. Other than that, she traveled light.

Crow groaned under her breath as she hefted herself up to her full height, only about 5’4. Now that she was standing that long hair of hers fell to the curve of her back, white in the artificial light. The meeting looked to be beginning. Around her familiar and unfamiliar faces alike gathered, and Kressara took a moment to memorize each profile. Kita Ikari was one such girl. She seemed young, perhaps younger than the crow had been when she first joined the sith. Something irked her about that. Perhaps she wondered how one so youthful came to join the presence of their violent kind. Was she there by choice? Despite the opinions of her peers, Kressara hoped so. Boot heels clacked against the metal grates and then stopped between Warvanus and Kita. Kressara came to stand with her arms crossed waiting for instructions.

[Emic Lai]

"Chief, scanners have zeroed in on a new signature in the Graveyard. Moves like a ship. Codes should be coming in momentarily," the scanner operator announced, pausing for a brief moment afterward. "Looks like a Firespray-31. Got its ID if you want to check it beside the numbers we got from Bob."

'Bob' being recent slang for 'Big Old Bastard', Aurek-112's nickname for Lord Pharsalus. "No need," Emic replied, grabbing the headset. "Hail it." She knew exactly who this person was.

The team had been waiting here for nearly two weeks, stationed so that they could be here to take orders from one Lord Tormentous. A gesture of good faith from Pharsalus to Tormentous. The Big Old Bastard had eyes everywhere, and Tormentous's movements had not escaped him. Emic had kept from indulging concerns about this Sith Lord being none too happy to have an unfamiliar unit getting in the way. Those concerns disappeared as she glanced over the codes on the scanners and were replaced with a sly grin.

Whatever Jacobi said, he could not say that the Kings In Yellow were not well-equipped. Even Emic herself was outfitted, from the purse of Pharsalus. A DH-17 heavy blaster hung from her hip, and back in the command tent was the rest of her toys. A Stouker concussion rifle, a Lanvarok ready to be strapped, and, her personal favorite, a spotless PLX-2M portable missile launcher. All topped off with the finest heavy Sith military armor, painted for environmental camouflage.

"Firespray-31 registered under Jai-Galaar, this is Sith special operations team designated Aurek-112," the comms operator introduced. Emic switched control to her headset. "Jacobi, pick up your receiver. It's your old pal, Emic."

She lit a cigarra before continuing. "I've got this fancy new gig in the Sith military, and my boss wants to do you a favor. So lucky you, you've got 10 highly-trained killers plus me ready to take your orders in this conflict. And hurry up about it, I have sand in places I really don't want it."

[Kell Sangros]

Warvanus had left his freighter behind on this mission, KL-PK1 had taken It back to his domain on Karza for its routine refit. He had been aboard the Firespray that belonged to Jacobi. He had helped him on Teta, and through their efforts had gained a valuable resource, a resource being overseen by his most trusted servant. His own apprentice. He had come clad in his full battle armor from head to toe, his face concealed behind his mask. His lightsaber had been clipped to his belt hanging on his side. Sheathed to his back was one of his blades. There was nothing special about it, it was finely crafted and forged. He knew Kressara, even before Drommond Kaas, but the other girl he did not know. He was not the social type, he was here for his Master. After so long they were brought back together through the machinations of the Force.

He took his seat as he waited for the briefing to start, he gave a nod to those who looked his way. Everybody seemed to be well armed. This was good they would all soon be baptized in the fires of warfare. Warvanus had brought with him Vyn Kaal, a mandalorian who had been with Clan Bralor but had casted his clan down when they left him to rot in prison, he rotted until Warvanus and Tormentous arrived and when he had Mandalore himself he pledged himself to Clan Ordo and here he was ready, willing and fully able to serve the one true Mandalore. Warvanus was there because he had swore to his Master that he would do all he could to help him, even in his temporary state he was still a force to reckon with, he had witnessed the beginning of his return. He would make sure that his powers fully returned,and would not rest until Tormentous once again sat upon the Throne.

[Kita_Ikari]

Kita grew excited at the fact she could choose her own equipment. Of course it was a big step since being pulled into this mess. Of course, she decided to go along and help after discovering why she was taken from her home. To bring down lord blood...or of what half truth she was told about anyways. In moments she had changed from her black body suit to a standard silver full combat suit. She decided to leave the helmet off for now. Since she just picked something out, modifying it would come later. She also had equipped herself with a vibro blade and holdout blaster on her belt. After grabbing some tailor fitted boots, she headed out to the group meeting.

Looking around, There were quite a few people in the room. She took immediate notice of Warvanus however and stood a bit away from him. His aura alone said told her he was ready for battle. Well...he seems intimidating. she thought.
Not long after joining the circle, Kress footsteps were heard. Kita's blue gaze watched curiously as she came in to stand next to her. With arms crossed. Her body language seemed to say she was closed off to discussion right now.

Quickly Kita focused her attention on Jacobi as the briefing began.

[Jacobi Wylcott]

The Firespray-31 ‘Jai-Galaar’ swept down into the Graveyard and the ship’s AI immediately began receiving communication’s chatter from the surface. At least those that weren’t totally encrypted. Mostly the received and legible communications were coming from the Clan Ordo lines and specifically from the command center towards the peninsula’s edge where they were currently coordinating a front line defense - that was failing.

Scans began as well but there was much in the way of interference - the dust clouds of Vorpa’ya made it very difficult to gain orbital scans and if a dust storm raged across the surface then scans were impossible as well as flight and orbit-surface communication. In moments within the passenger hold of the ‘Jai-Galaar’a digital readout of the terrain began coming in and it displayed many kilometers of a battle line. Much of it was a cratered mess with crashed gunships, burning tanks and fields upon fields of razor wire and trench lines overseen by nest of high powered repeating cannons to cut infantry down.

All in all the situation was bleak. Not only was there currently a massive offensive ongoing to smash Ordo from the field once and for all but the difficulty of their own insertion lay in the targeting of a location where they could even set down and be of any use. Tormentous’ eye crossed over the incoming data with deep concentration as his tactical mind kicked in and started picking out weak points along the trenches and emplacements. That was when he spotted a large incursion unfolding.

In front of a massive peninsula was the front line of combat that spanned two hundred kilometers from east to west. At the center of the battle line sat a formation of heavy tanks and a massive blob of infantry, further behind them sat a large artillery position flanked by two positions of aerial flak batteries. The unfolding scene had the artillery pounding Ordo’s front into the mud while tanks ground over the defenses destroying emplacements with infantry breaching and clearing trench lines. Their progress was good - and that was bad for Ordo and in turn for the Sith.

Tormentous pinpointed potential dropsites where they could deploy and join the defensive but none were really flexible enough that they could drop in, extinguish a threat and still be valuable to the overall battle. This was an offensive of twelve kilometers! One combat event on one side would not affect the central push nor the opposite side.

It was to their fortune that the communication system crackled and a familiar voice strained through. Jacobi recognized Emic while Tormentous grit his teeth at her insubordination and casual address. Jacobi and Emic had been drinking buddies back before the time that Vesper had even really become of any renown. They’d even fought together against the Yuuzhan Vong on Telos IV many years ago. She’d disappeared a long time ago and he’d thought her dead - with her announcement he knew he had a grand asset down on the surface.

Immediately Jacobi went for the comms and he opened up the frequency Emic was on. “Aurek-112, this is the ‘Jai-Galaar’, we’re receiving. We’ll get you a briefing on our overall mission task later. Right now we need an insertion window.” He transmitted a datapackage to Aurek-112 - the datapack had two target locations. The Eastern and Western anti-air batteries. Obviously if the Firespray-31 came down anywhere but half a continent away from this area then they’d be in range of these pieces and get blown out of the sky. But if they wanted to drop into the current zone of combat then they would need these positions taken out or at a minimum - suppressed. “Put them to sleep ‘One-Twelve’. We’ll see you dirtside.”

He turned back to his group. “Alright,” He announced, his voice did not hold the typically grouchy tone - no - Jacobi was peaking out now and his adrenaline was up while the utter excitement of going into battle had brought out enough energy he was almost giddy - he hid this well but his eyes told the truth while his voice did the talking. “We’ve got an asset on the ground and in,” he paused and checked his time piece, the chrono, “thirty minutes we’re dropping in.”

“Our target will be the rear set artillery battery that is smoking Clan Ordo’s defenses. If we can knock them out then Ordo will be able to fight. Aurek-122, our asset, will be knocking out two aerial battery locations to allow us to insert without getting smacked out of the sky.”

Jacobi turned the briefing equipment away and moved to the end of the cargo hold where the drop ramp was located. From the wall he took up a harness with what looked to be a set of boosters on the back, it was relatively heavy and only had enough fuel to arrest a single drop. He walked to Kita and set the harness on her shoulder and hooked it to her armor plates on her back as an example, the rest of the team would need these too lest they would get turned into ground pasty smears. This drop would be far more aggressive than the drop on Tibrin. Jacobi of course already had his own jump pack and wouldn’t need one of these.

Signalling for Warvanus and Kressara to get their own gear on he quickly ran them through a crash course. “Land with your feet together, knees slightly bent.” He handed Kita a trigger mechanism, “When you see me hit my thrusters, you do the same and you’ll be fine. Roll with the impact on the ground and when you get up just slap the quick release on your harness and the pack will drop and won’t hamper your movement.”

There was no time to lose. Once finished he moved to the drop ramp’s doorway. His readout on his visor told him the Firespray-31 was now within the upper atmosphere and they were speeding down to their target. He slapped the door release and the drop ramp extended as the doorway rose and suddenly a blast of frigid air slammed into the hold where they all stood but the ship was going so fast that the aerodynamics of the ship didn’t drag anyone outside. Jacobi took up his rifle in one hand and with his right he reached up and gripped the hand hold - he walked out into the wind - fearless of an elevation that would kill anyone should they fall.

Joy beat in his heart as he watched the dust clouds zip by and at this elevation the curvature of the world could be seen. It was beautiful and equally as deadly at this altitude. This was the calm before the storm.

Soon they would obtain their drop coordinates - soon they would drop feet first into hell.

[Kressara Thryn]

The briefing went just about as one could expect. Tactics, planning, coordinating with ground forces. Then Jacobi moved to the racks and Kressara’s stress levels skyrocketed almost as high as their current altitude. All she could think about as the Mandalorian strapped the jet pack onto his young companion was how badly she’d wished she stayed home. A mental voice internalized the terror which literally sickened her to the core.

’Nope. Nuh-uh. I’m not putting up with this. Me? Jump? With only a temporary gap in reaction time to save myself from splatting against the battlefield like a bucket of paint? No. Absolutely not. That insane Mando might be giddy at the thought of plummeting through the atmosphere to the ground, but he can forget it! Forget it I tell you! I will not be argued with! I. WILL. NOT. JUMP.’

Mr. Wylcott signaled for her and Warvanus to gear up, and before Kressara could enforce her iron hard resolve to stay firmly planted to the interior of the cargo hold, she complied.

’I hate this.’

Trembling hands struggled to hook the pack around her slender shoulders and with a very audible huff of frustration the green flyer stepped away to the corner for a bit of privacy. Not much though, seeing as she was within earshot of her troup and her nerves were likely all to noticeable. Kressara stood with her back to them, hands on her hips, staring blankly at the wall as she muttered under her breath, “If fear becomes courage, and courage becomes strength, then I ought to outmatch the entire fracking enemy forces.” She was a conduit of phobic rage in that moment all kept under control by the will to see her mission through. A shaken breath rattled her lungs before the platinum sith managed to suit up properly. Arms dropped to her sides that were left to dangle before Kressara shook her whole body head to toe in an effort to loosen up some tension.

All at once she turned around. “Let’s get this over with.”

As soon as the airlock released Kressara’s hand shot up to grab a handle and her eyes fixated upon the scene before her. Her heart skipped several beats in rapid succession and left her feeling jelly legged. This was it. This was how she died. Not by the hands of an enemy, or under the wrath of her master, or even in a bed surrounded by friends and whatever family she may gain later in life...nope. The surface of the planet would hit her harder than her anxiety was beating down that once sturdy backbone.
A crow stood perched atop the world, afraid of just how high up she was.

[Kell Sangros]

The briefing was like every other briefing he had sat in on. Though things were not looking good for Clan Ordo, something Warvanus plannedto remedy. He had thought at one point to deploy his Battle Meditation technique to bolster Clan Ordo.

When the briefing was over, Warvanus did not speak a word, he simply grabbed a parachute which in his mind took out all the fun. He was a seasoned warrior, battlezones were his home. He felt more alive, more comfortable in one more than he did in his own domain. He was made for this.

He strapped on the pack, and looked at Tormentous and it was here he spoke for the first time since the ship became crowded with what he considered “Lesser” beings.

“For Mandalore, and Clan Ordo”

With that he proceded to the airlock, after Kressara all but got sucked out of the airlock, he stepped inside, the door hissed closed, and when the outer door reopened he ran and dove out headfirst as if he was diving into a body of water. All around him blaster fire was raining. Live or die it was all the same to the War-Bringer.

After a couple of minutes of free fall he got into the position to deploy his chute which greatly reduced his velocity and it was a few more minutes before he touched down on the ground. Once he was on the ground he removed the pack and unclipped his lightsaber bringing the crimson blade to life.