Command Center
Karufr
Kr’Tal System

Rian was brash, bold. He was new by Taldryan’s standards; a House that had the audacity on several occasions to call even Grand Master’s new. The irony in that didn’t escape him. He moved through the halls, boots scraping where the carpet had begun to run threadbare; turning through corridors where a fresh coat of paint could be used.

The final door opened with a dull scrape, exposing the war room. The pinnacle of technology at one time it now began to show the years and use that had been heaped on it. A thousand victories had come from this table, deep in the heart of Taldryan’s home. Rian stood before the holoprojector, a mask muting the lower half of his face, hoping that it would stem possible infection from whatever it was that haunted them. Yet he could feel a weight pulling at him deep within. He had never felt stronger and yet knew that this was nearly the end for him.

_ {We are divided in two. Those cursed…}_

At his side was a pensive soldier, wearing armor that was first designed five thousand years ago. Anubis was no stranger to the house, and without the Elders at his side, Rian needed all the help he could muster. An unspoken thought passed between the two Equites.

A holoprojection of Jac Cotelin bathed the room in a blue hue. He had contacted the Summit as soon as it was clear what was happening was not confined to just one or two people.

_ {And those who still held their power…away from us.}_

“We’ve all lost so much”, Sidarace, the current Aedile, commented from his seat.

“Hold tight, my friends”, the Grand Master stated as his face seemed to harden. “There’s more trouble inboud”.

The holographic projection changed and now showed an enemy fleet appearing within their system. There was an Allegiance-class battlecruiser, flanked by two Imperial Star Destroyers. Behind them was the rest of the powerful fleet, bearing down on Karufr.

---

{And just when we needed them…}

It was an odd sensation, having to choose between friends and comrades that had only recently been hailing each other with fondness and Brotherhood. And, for the soldiers that served each of the Houses and Clans, adapting to the strange nature of those gifted with the Force was often taxing enough. Now, some strange disease seemed to be stealing the gifts of some of the youngest and was causing a rift that was entirely strange, outlandish, and not to be understood. Even the eldest of the Houses and Clans, the Summits themselves, seemed blind to the cause and the nature of the disease. It was tearing them apart.

Major Deron Karn had told his men that, ultimately, they served Taldryan, which was led by the Summit of Taldryan, and so long as there was an acknowledged head, they were obligated to serve it. This meant that the loyal, amicable, fraternal soldiers would have to fire upon their friends and allies who stood violently against the Summit and the eldest of Taldryan. Karufr was at war, and it was one of family hatred, and it would cause the shedding of much blood, sweat, and possibly tears.

And now, to add insult to injury a massive fleet had entered Karufr Space. Even now a huge battle was underway. Just when the powers, the talents of the Dark Jedi had been needed most- they were unavailable. Outside the command center the thunder of planetary defense cannons resounded, arcs of fire returning to match those streaming down from above. One actinic shaft of heavenly fire ripped through a nearby residential district. Even from this distance the exploding duracrete and the screams of the dying were faintly audible. A pall of dust and the stench of frying flesh hung heavily in the desperate air.

“Major, sir, I have word from Yridia”, stated one of the Lieutenants as he handed Major Karn a datapad. “The data is spotty, but it appears they are under assault as well.”

“By the very gods,” snarled Deron Karn. “They damn well better do something about this and right now for frell’s sake. Our forces are arrayed against themselves, and the regulars depleted. Without the Foxtrot Uniforms, we can’t hold out for long. This situation is rapidly approaching FUBAR status.”

_ {When we needed their Power…}_

Space Platform Onyx-II
Orian
Orian System

“Sir and Directors, we are invaded. An enemy fleet has deployed in our system. Our fleet is returning from maneuvers and will be here in one standard <click clicks>.” The Verpine engineer clicked and clacked as the translator rendered the words into Basic. “At least one Allegiance class battlecruiser, two type Two Imperial Star Destroyers, three Victory Class star destroyers, and their entire support group are penetrating our perimeter. They have an Interdictor as well with energized gravity fields. They have deployed Imperial-style fighters and bomber groups across our entire system. We cannot move away unless the Interdictor is neutralized. I can calculate the odds of victory...” The Verpine Engineer turned to face his gracious employers. “My calculated odds are unfortunately not within fifty percent.”

“No thank you. Unfortunate timing with the Plague,” replied Locke calmly. “Or perhaps deliberate. They haven’t invaded us yet on the ground. We must set the tone of this conflict as much as we can, Teu. We cannot hold against that group openly in either theatre. Highest combat alert to be implemented system-wide immediately. I do believe we learned something when Plageuis and Scholae Palatinae hit us last. Deploy our assets as efficiently as possible. Give the orders to dig in, and double the Last Breath mine’s output and our assembled baradium weapons. Protect Amphor at all costs. We will need the Tibanna for the Brotherhood war effort.”

“We have to get off this platform immediately. It’s a huge target. I don’t think they will invade,” replied Teu confidently. “I’d expect orbital bombardment on a large scale. Let’s make them pay first. Call all available starfighter pilots who can still fly and put them in XJ-3’s.HLAFS. Everything.”

“We will fight them,” Locke replied, keeping his voice steady although feeling himself slipping away. “In every way, with great loss on both sides. We have a lot of experience with that unfortunately. If they are going to try and break us they will do so with the maximum amount of asset loss.”

_ {…their Leadership.}_

Secret Redoubt
Boral moon
Selen
Dajorra System

“Gorram. They’re closing on the system fast.” Wuntila frowned. “That is a seriously muscle-bound battlegroup. Deploy the entire fleet immediately. And the orbital mines. Ready every available combatant. And every ground force, they will try to invade.”

Marick studied the readouts. “I doubt they’ll invade, no dropships just yet. They’ll be on us in two hours. The Maw didn’t slow them at all,” the Hapan quipped. “I’m reading a Battlecruiser registered as Nexu. No other identifying output. Imperial type ships, but no official registry. They’ve got an Interdictor. They are going to hold us out.”

“And try and work us down to dust. I’m guessing they are mercs,” replied Wuntila. “With damn good navigational data and the Force. Or outside help.” His Boyna suit clinked. “Still. Amazing resources and suspicious timing. Have we heard from the other Houses and the other Clan?”

“They are all besieged, and at almost the same time. Except for Plagueis. Nothing from them, at all.” The Hapan checked his personal gear out of habit. “Nothing.”

“You can be sure they are under assault as well,” remarked Wuntila. “Perhaps worse than our own dire situation. Send a informational envoy with our fastest small ship to Antei. Tell them the news. Now we go to rally the troops, and save our system. We must hold.”

Ooroo Abbey
New Tython
Yhi System

“What is the meaning of this!” thundered one of the Presidum members. “You and your people have brought more death and more destruction to this world!”

Drodik kept his hands firmly behind his back. He had already begun to tune out the other members as they all took turns berating him. Those who followed Odan-Urr were few and many of their newest recruits had turned against them. They blamed the others of the House for their loss of power and their sickness. They were rampaging across Mentat Ombo and terrorizing the citizens.

“We are considering having you and your kind removed from our sites completely!” the first man screamed, slamming his fist onto the table.

The Quaestor felt the surge of power course through his veins as anger bubbled to the surface.

“ENOUGH!” the Nagai yelled out as a burst of the Force exploded out of him and threw the Presidium members out of their seats. Drodik stood in the middle of the maelstrom. He could no longer feel the Force flow through him. Instead anger and rage and replaced what he had lost.

Dynasty Station
Cocytus System

Alarms resounded throughout the station. Out in space around it a vicious battle was underway.
The ISD-II Warspite and NSD Excidium were duking it out with twin enemy ISD-II’s, along with their support group. In the distance, an Allegiance class battlecruiser loomed outside of the station’s orbit.
The comlink crackled open on the Quaestor of Scholae Palatinae’s wrist. “Sir! We’re getting our crackle handed to us out here! Weapons dead... going in for death run...” The report was cut short.

In the outside viewport, Xen’Mordin could briefly see a spiraling TIE Interceptor bearing Palatinae colors slammed into the hull of the attacking enemy ISD-II with a blast of tibanna flame.

“We’ve got to get to the shuttle,” shouted Xen’Mordin. “All command staff to the Warspite immediately.” Around him sparks flew as another turbolaser barrage blew the hell out of the station nearby. He sprinted into the hangar bay as troopers opened the drop door of a Lambda Class shuttle. Four TIE Defenders launched alongside as the group fled to the relative safety of their command capital ship.

Super-Class SSD Avenger II
Jusadih System
Outer Orbits

The almost ghostly figure hovered in front of a bank of readouts. His body appeared to be smoldering underneath the heavy dark robes he wore, plumes of energy billowing from his haggard frame. A grimace of pain crossed his hollow-eyed face briefly as he turned his head. From here, he could see his plans bearing fruit. Across all the affected systems, havoc was being delivered to their inhabitants at his command. By his side, a hologram-projecting walker droid moved alongside. It projected an image of a heavily hooded and cloaked figure, obviously distorted by cryptographic programs.

“The siege goes better than expected. Our task forces have made major gains across all theatres of operation. Plageuis is cut off per your direction. The Cocytus system is resisting, but they will crumble. The space platform in Orian has nearly been subdued, and their fleet taken by surprise. We have arrived and will shortly jump. We continue to over-match them on every level by a factor of at least two to one, the small measure of modern technology they have notwithstanding.”

“Very good,” whispered the voice from the hologram-walker. “The Dark Side approves. I approve. Our investors will be pleased. Soon their systems and resources will be opened for their use.”

Wreck of the Miner’s Brother
Amphor Orbit
Orian Space

In the bowels of the decrepit ship, a battle was being fought on a smaller scale then the ones that raged around the Orian System. They had defended themselves well but had been hit hard by the invading fleet in their system. A few phlegmatic alarms rang fitfully, but most of the internal lights and power did not work reliably. Holes showed in the sides of most of the superstructure, and the inside was dark and stagnant like a tomb. Even so, this tomb had found new life in the arms of slaughter. One Dark Jedi apprentice had fallen already, his power dried up by the sickness.

Armored troopers with blaster rifles shot at several Dark Jedi. They had breached the vessel and boarded from an assault shuttle. The Darksiders defended themselves with swords of fire. One armor-clad Dark Jedi snarled as his paling compatriot fell to his knees.

“What now?” He looked up, casually deflecting a blaster bolt with his tangerine-colored blade as an automatic fire extinguisher system coughed on reluctantly to fill the corridor with a layer of obscuring mist. “Kark. Man get your noodles together.”

“I can feel it slipping away,” gasped the young Knight as he fell. A green blaster bolt slammed into him, blowing out the side of his cranium like a rotten grapefruit. His body thumped against the bulkhead wall.

Sizzling brains splattered across the Sith’s boot and face as he looked down at the young man with his searching yellow eyes. The alchemist touched a gauntlet stud, closing the faceplate of his battle armor.
He hated splattery critters. “Ah frack. Slipping, biting, running, singing. I’m afraid your song is sung my friend. Tragic. Enough!” screamed the armored madman. “You invade my house! Kill my comrades! You must DIE!”

A wave of telekinetic power ripped forth from the Sadow to crush the three troopers in front of him. The wave blew them right out the side of the ship, their bodies resembling nothing more than icy stardust and rime debris within the great eternal vacuum of space. The bodies exploded in the emptiness of space, the nitrogen boiling from their blood as it froze instantly from the abyssal cold. Pressure and atmosphere rushed out to suck the debris, the bodies, their weapons, everything out. It was a symbolic and literal cleansing.

Except for the giggling madman whose boots remained clamped to the deck. The clink of mag-boots clamping to the deck was inaudible in the vacuum. Macron’s modified Sith battlesuit would preserve his life and oxygen for some minutes yet even in hard vacuum. He strode rapidly to the docking bay. He must reach Antei, and soon. The Force whispered of the need. The Brotherhood, his home, his friends, and allies needed him. For a Sith he had some unfortunate Jedi-like tendencies.

“A-holes. I thought of that already. Flush complete. Hehe. My head is off,” muttered the Warlord. “More than usually. Heh, heh, heh. My Sith Master would be pleased.”

_ {And fear, long our strongest ally, our oldest friend...}_

SSD Avenger II
Yridia System

The pressure door opened and a soldier bearing no insignia entered. The man was battle-hardened, obviously a veteran of many wars. This ship was largely crewed by mercenaries and veterans. Their employer paid very well- and the Dark Jedi he led ensured loyalty. The holographic figure crossed it’s arms, glimpses of pointy yellowish armor glistening underneath.

“We continue to do well. Masters, the siege goes better than expected.” The soldier gestured at the holoreadout. “We are forcing them back and consolidating on all fronts. Our insert and subvert doctrine has paid off as the terrorist attacks and riots we have promoted continue.”

“Paid. Blood. All. Back. Iron,” commented the ghoulish figure. “Payback.” His red eyes rolled up in his heads as he listened to the chattering voices only he could hear. The voices never stopped.

“Yes, Dark Lord,” hissed an insidious voice from the holoprojector. The heavily armored visage shrugged. “It will come to pass as you have foreseen. You shall have your revenge.”

“Need the Fire.” The flickering figure grimaced again, rubbing his temples as the soldier saluted and left. “Need.” He staggered briefly. He was a raw, uncovered mass of hunger and pain. Only the ghosts gave him any succor with their never-ending whispers. “My Skin. My Skin!”

“Soon enough, you will have your regalia again and your flesh will be made whole,” replied the robed phantom figure from the holographic box. “Take up the Sword and wield it as is your right by virtue of power... drink life to slake your thirst. The Shroud has fallen on Plagueis.”

_ {…had turned against us.}_

-> Horizons continues... <- </click>