RPG - Unrest on Planet Balkest (Page 3 of 4)

There was an explosion. There was an explosion and someone jumped out of the roof. Somebody jumped out of the roof. Ja'tka's mind went into overdrive, his hands snapped backwards, pulling the carbine from the holster under his jacket he quickly followed the course of the dot as it arced low, and out of sight. Wasn't a jump pack, no light from thrusters, not exhaust trail. No noise. Unsure if augmentatives could jump like that. Hidden anti-grav unit? Unlikely.  These possibilities flashed through his mind, attempting to asses the situation, leaving only one likely possibility. Force user? No to rare, training to jump in controlled pattern needed........No other likely explanations. Only remaining option. Possible Jedi.

---------

  Ja'tka rushed into the confusion as alarms blared, carbine in hand. Have to find Jedi, confirm suspicions. Track and apprehend possible hostile force-user. So he ran forth, seeking out the Jedi inside the building. Fortunately no one stopped him, regardless of the carbine in his hand, due to the utter chaos inside. It didnt take him long. He rounded a corner, coming up behind a human female, who seemed to be holding the Jedi, and a group of Kubaz at gunpoint. He slowly approached, though, admittedly he had no idea what the situation was. Hence the caution and the raised carbine.

"HUMAN. LOWER YOUR WEAPON AND TURN."

He was back in the game.

"Sir, I'm afraid we're going to have to commandeer one of your speeders. We have an urgent situation-" Genn was cut off

"HELLS NO JEDI! The whole towns gone insane and I gotta hunker down here and see it through, these speeders are my life!" The man said leaning back on a speeder and holding on to it. It seemed that some people were less affected then others by this insanity, this man wasn't driven to a homocidal rage, and Merlidan wasn't affected much either. He assumed this had to do with weak minded-ness.

"You will lend us a speeder." Genn said as he waved his hand.

"I will lend you a speeder." The repair shop owner said, a blank expression overcoming his face.

"You will remain here and stay safe, and not succumb to the mob outside."

"I will stay here, stay safe." With that, the man ran to the back of the store and out of sight.

Merlidan grabbed Genn's shoulder.

"Get the fastest one." She said

"Merlidan, it is clear you have a grasp of this situation, you must continue without me. Queen Ka'Bae, this woman has helped us and I beg you take her with you to the hive, if only to escape this insanity for the time being." Genn said, addressing the queen. Barulian stood forward.

"I can not allow that Jedi, you know the risks, I must stop this now." He said shaking his head.

"He is correct Master Ostace, our hive would not welcome any human, expecially with the current situation. I believe you, however, might be welcomed as a Jedi. Why do you leave us now?" The Queen asked Genn

"I need to get to a communications relay center as fast as possible, I must send a message to the council." Genn answered

"I can show you the way to the nearest one. Its going to be a heavily populated area, things will become difficult..." Merlidan explained

"So be it. Barulian, I assume you will take the queen and your remaining guards in the speeder and go to the hive?"

"Yes, we must marshal our forces there, no doubt the humans are already ammassing a mob to attack." Barulian answered, helping the queen into a speeder. The 3 remaining guards followed.

Genn opened the bay door, and Barulian burst from the repair shop. The Queen held up her hand in thanks, all she could offer Genn and Merlidan in Barulian's haste. They watched the speeder hover off, just as a pack of swoop bikes emerged from various alleys and followed them. They weren't out of the woods yet it seemed.

Genn grimly looked at Merlidan, both aware of the danger ahead.

"Let's go."

“Great,” muttered Jayce as Katon Bersek and his apprentice Force-sped off into the distance. “What happened to strength in numbers?”

“Did you see that madman’s lightning just now?” demanded Davies. “I think the last thing he’s worried about is numbers.”

They were in an area of the camp where the rioting colonists were moving away from. The explosions and sounds of blaster fire seemed to be coming from deeper within. The two troopers continued towards the sounds of violence keeping their weapons at the ready.

“I’ll bet my bottom credit that they’re moving towards the queen,” observed Jayce.

“That or the Jedi,” the other private responded. “The colonists seem to be just as sore at him as the Kubaz themselves.”

“The question is, whose side are we on?”

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” Davies tried. “The Jedi is with the Kubaz, obviously. Therefore we should side with the colonists.”

“We just blasted like five of them, idiot!” exclaimed Jayce.

“Well you heard the lieutenant, they’re all hostiles,” defended Davies. “Truth be told, I just really want to shoot things.”

Strangely, Jayce knew what he was talking about. There was something in the air; some sort of dark purpose permeating throughout the entire camp. It took some effort to restrain herself from hurling a detonator at the nearest group of colonists.

“The sooner we find the lieutenant the better,” she said finally.

“Well look at that Rendon!” came the corporal’s voice from behind them. “I didn’t think your privates had taken such a liking to you.”

Cors and Grayner stepped out from behind a nearby alleyway.

“Where are the Dark Jedi, Jayce?” questioned Cors.

“Gone, sir,” she responded glad that there were four of them again. “They just took off.”

“It happens to the best of us soldier,” nodded the lieutenant in understanding. If he had not been wearing a mask, the others would see that Cors’ eyes were bright and excited by the dozens of colonists that he and Grayner had been “forced” to blast through. He seemed to be taking to the dark side energy better than Balkest’s inhabitants. Either their behavior was the result of prolonged exposure to the rings or the dark side aura was simply feeding the soldier’s inherently sadistic nature.

They were by the Supplies Procurement building now. They could see the CRC building just down the street.

“Ya reckon we should let the Empire know about this little incident,” thought Grayner aloud. “I doubt Bersek is acting on their orders. Besides, the communications relay center is right there and it could mean a nice little pat on the head for all of us if we let our superiors know about a potential dark side relic since there’s obviously something making the colonists act this way.”

“Sir, we don’t have the access codes for their transceiver,” objected Davies.

“Well, someone in there does,” reasoned Cors. “And we have blasters.”

“With all due respect, sir,” Jayce began. “Are we ready to bring the fury of the Sith Empire down on Balkest?”

Lieutenant Cors turned around to survey the wreckage before him. The colonists were still fighting amongst themselves and projectiles were flying left and right. Smoke was rising from every facet of the camp. The wreckage filled the lieutenant’s soul and his chest seemed to swell as it did so. Conflict was what he was bred for. Destruction was imminent and it was only a matter of time before the Jedi Order sent reinforcements. Balkest was almost begging Cors for a full-scale war.

“Absolutely, Private,” the lieutenant replied. “Absolutely.”

"-come on you little chakaar!" Mir punched the screen on the door controls; he had been locked in the engine compartment of the KT-400 freighter for over an hour and his frustration was starting to show. He paced the small room for a few moments, trying to come up with a new strategy. "Okay, what do I know so far?" Mir grabbed his datapad off the hyperdrive, plugging it into spliced wires hanging out of the wall. "The ship hasn't moved and the lockdown is still in place, so that must mean the crew is no longer onboard...but why?" He leaned on the group of wires hanging over the exposed power conduit, not paying attention.

*FZZZTTTPOWW*

"...OSIK!" Mir was nearly blown across the compartment. "Whoah, whooooah...shab, that was close." He rolled over, patting his back where a bit of smoke was coming from. Fortunately, the grade IV Ablative plating in his vest took all of the energy displaced by the arcing electricity. He looked up to see that the previously sealed door was stuck halfway open. "...and convenient."

Mir grabbed his datapad and practically leapt off the ground, out the door. Blaster drawn, he did a quick search of the ship's main hold, noting the boarding ramp was down as he sprinted up the narrow corridor to the bridge. As he reached the top, Mir saw the duros captain slumped over the command chair with a blaster bolt through his head, and the rest of the crew were nowhere to be seen. "Damn, someone beat me to it." He dumped the body in the floor, and took over the chair.

"Time to get out of here."
_

After a few minutes of wading through warning messages in the freighter's main computer, Mir managed to get the manual controls up and running. He double checked all of the ship's camera feeds to be sure he hadn't missed anyone that may have boarded. Satisfied, he pushed the throttle forward and pulled back the control yoke. The KT-400 lifted off the duracrete pad, cruising out of the port. He looked over the cityscape in disbelief, seeing blasterbolts and black smoke scattered throughout the urban terrain.

"Have I missed something?" Mir reached to scratch his head, but was stopped short by a blaster muzzle.

"Yes you have."

"Thats the building right there. As you can see, the main entrance is heavily guarded and in the event of trouble they'll probably close the blast doors. I think theres a maintenance shaft behind." Merlidan said, surveying the building.

Genn and Merlidan stood in an alley some ways away from the building. Trask had seen that the guard remained in the building and not joined the mob, it seems they were all fanatical followers of his at this point. He might have to be disposed of after all.

"I'll go in through the front and I think you should go through the shaft and try to open the blast door from the inside." Genn said

"Why don't we both just go through the shaft?"

"We don't know where it leads, I think the distraction of me at the entrance should leave the rest of the building relatively empty of guards. Once were both inside, we go to the top of the tower and try to send a message to the Core. I think the council may send reinforcements, considering whats going on. However, there is a chance that they would not send any and not risk enticing the near-by Sith into an all out battle on Balkest."

"And if they dont send more Jedi?"

"Then...we're on our own."

"Damn...alright well you realize youre walking into a death trap by attacking the blast door right?"

"Clearly you've never fought with a Jedi Master. Keep your comm on."

Genn tossed his hood over his head and folded his arms within his sleeves. He slowly began walking to the entrance of the comm tower while Merlidan slunk into the shadows and approached the building from the back.

"Hey! Stop right there! No one's allowed into the comm tower without Mr.Heyurk's consent." A human guard said as he approached Genn while Genn walked up the steps.

The guard out stretched his hand and with a flash of yellow light the guard's whole arm fell to the ground and he yelled in pain.

"It's the Jedi, blast him!!!" Another guard said. Blaster fire erupted from the entrance and Genn deflected two bolts back to their sources as 6 guard droids clanked out from the building followed by more human guards with repeator rifles. Genn was forced to retreat slightly and couldn't penetrate the entrance before the blast doors slammed shut behind the newly arrived goons.

"Watch that lightsaber!"   BZZZZzzzt FZZZZZzzzzztchhh Two droids were cut down before their blaster arms engaged. Genn Force flipped backwards for more distance. He adjusted stances to be able to deflect more blaster bolts.

The barrage was intense with the number of bolts coming at Genn, and he couldn't deflect them all directly to their source. Slowly, guards began being picked off as Genn's fluid Jedi Master techniques formed an impenitrable shield which the guards blasters couldn't get through.

Slowly Genn pushed foward once again, until all that remained were 2 human guards and a droid. He Force pushed the three of them and threw his lightsaber in a great arc, finishing them off. He deactivated his lightsaber after it came back to his hand and raised his comm to his face.

"Merlidan."

"I'm on it, just a few minutes."

Genn walked up to the blast door. Perhaps he could melt through it with his lightsaber, depending on how good of a blast door it was. Before he could try, he sensed something behind him and he turned.

The street was empty, but the Force told him there was more than meets the eye. He ignited his lightsaber just as a volley of accurate blaster fire came his way and he defended himself.

"Merlidan, things have changed."

"What do you mean?"

One of the assailants changed positions and moved forward and Genn caught a glimpse of one of the attackers. Sith troopers. In their trademark silver amor, armed with blaster carbines. Four from the number of blast fire sources. Things had escalated exponentially quite rapidly.

"The Sith are here, 4 troopers." Genn said when he got a chance

"You can't handle a squad of Sith troopers?"

"Where theres troopers, the Sith are bound to follow. If they're not here already then they're on their way. This changes everything, we need to send the message, keep the blast door shut, I'm sending you the access codes for the Jedi Council, send them a message on my behalf about the current situation."

"You know, this building isn't exactly empty (blaster fire comes in over the comm) Besides, I dont have the access codes for the comm itself."

"I'm sure you can handle yourself."

"Oh, I see you know me so well already. What are you going to do?"

"Primarily, I need to reach my ship and send a message to my apprentice. If the Jedi can't get here before the Sith do, my apprentice may help us. He is not far from this system, on a mission of his own. But I will try and dispose of these troopers beforehand, theres just no time."

"Do what you need to do, over and out."

"I'll come back for you Merlidan. If I need to leave these troopers here, they will try everything to get inside and stop you."

"...Just go Genn." click

Genn put his comm away and put his full attention on the assault he was defending himself from. The four troopers were in good defensive positions around the street and behind buildings. Genn began advancing to go on the offensive.

“Shunfa!” cursed Grayner into the comm channel as the Jedi Master ignited his lightsaber and deflected their fire in one fluid motion. “I forgot they were that fast!”

Lieutenant Cors hadn’t been expecting to get the drop on the Jedi. A Sith trooper of his standing never underestimated the power of the Force. Still, they had nearly caught their adversary off guard and he had no choice but to stand his ground and fight. Having their opponent backed up against the CRC building was a definite advantage. Still, they needed to act fast; Jedi had a habit of not staying trapped for long.

“I’m moving in,” called Private Davies excitedly. “Cover me!”

“Private! Negative!” roared Cors. “Hold your position. I repeat, hold your position!”

It was too late. Davies, keeping low, rushed forward and ducked behind a crumbling wall as he continued to fire. The telescopic sights in Cor’s helmet saw the Jedi’s eyes widen in surprise as he realized who his attackers were. If the Sith’s presence on Balkest had been covert to the Council by any degree, it was a secret no longer.

“Dammit, Davies!” said the lieutenant into his comlink. “Next time you disobey a direct order, I’ll shoot you in the back myself. The last thing we’re going to do in this fight is close the distance. We need to maintain our range.”

Their enemy was clearly not going to make this strategy easy.

“—If I leave these troopers here, they will try everything to get inside and stop you,” he said into his own comlink to an unknown accomplice. A second later, he deposited the device into his robes and gathered his glowing lightsaber into both hands before advancing into the street.

“Back everybody! Back!” ordered Cors. “Keep moving and don’t stop until you find cover. I want at least 10 meters between you and the hostile at all times.

His team obeyed scattering tactically away from the Jedi. Davies and Grayner sprinted left while Jayce and Cors banked right firing as they did so.

The target instantaneously became a being of absolute grace leaping into a sideways spin to avoid the torrent of fire. His weapon became a yellow blur sending the bolts off in various directions.

“And for Force sake,” said Cors. “If you see him go for the saber throw, hit the dirt. This one’s pretty handy with the boomerang and I’d prefer the four of us were debriefed with all our limbs intact.”

He and Jayce skipped over to kneel behind a busted speeder while Grayner and Jayce popped into two opposite alleyways at the other end of the street.

“Grenades, now!” exclaimed the lieutenant.

Four fragmentation grenades found their way to the feet of the unfortunate man.

“Eat shrapnel, Jedi Slime!” shouted Corporal Grayner thinking it was over.
It wasn’t. The Jedi Master lept into an inhumanly high backflip just as the four explosives went off. To the four troopers, it looked as if he was heroically leaping out of the blast, his toes riding on the flames.

“Shoot him,” Cors cried as he rapidly fired into the overcast Balkest sky. His soldiers were already doing the same. Incredibly their adversary was able to defend against every single one before touching back to the ground.

“I am Master Genn Ostace of the Jedi Order,” said their enemy as he straightened up holding his lightsaber in front of him horizontally. “You will cease your attack and surrender. Please don’t make me use necessary force.”

Lieutenant Cors hated losing. It was hard to decide what he wanted more: to bring the Sith forces to Balkest or to hold this particular Jedi’s decapitated head in hands.

“Over my dead body, Jedi,” sneered Cors signaling to Private Jayce to cover him as he charged toward Ostace firing off rapid shots.

The Jedi Master stepped back and brought his lightsaber back to dispatch the approaching soldier. But Cors was ready and dove into tumble towards the CRC blast doors past his enemy barely avoiding the expert swing. Before Genn could go after the lieutenant again, the Master was forced to repel the bolts of the three other Sith troopers.

Now Rendon was by the entrance and gave his attention to the security panel by the doors. The good news was that this interface wasn’t particularly advanced and Cors was pretty sure he could get the doors open in the next minute. The bad news was that he was completely open to an attack from the barely winded Jedi.

“Keep him preoccupied,” said Cors gritting his teeth as he went to work. “And remember, keep the distance.”

Gretch was working furiously as perspiration dotted his brow. Despite this he seemed to be in his element and relishing the challenge. “There it’s done. It may take a few minutes to get a reply. You want a cup of caff?”

Merlidan shook her head, “Nah caffeine will only give me a buzz of energy and I really don’t need it.”

Gretch grinned, “From that message you sent I’m not surprised.”

Merlidan’s hands fidgeted with the hem of her shirt as she waited nervously. She had sent a message to the Jedi telling of their situation and the need for reinforcements. She hoped a response would come through soon as she had no idea how long Ostace would last against the Sith minions.

At the thought of Ostace she quickly buzzed his com, she received a clipped "Report."

"Message is sent, awaiting reply," she told simply.

Gretch returned sipping from his steaming mug. “Something has got the security thugs entertained. They’re all heading for the main entrance.”

“Do you have a security feed in that area?” Merlidan asked.

Gretch’s fingers caressed the keys before him and a live feed was shown. Ostace was elegantly defending himself with what appeared to be little effort. However a Sith soldier had managed to somehow get behind him.

“Ah the Sith and the Jedi, forever locked in battle.” Gretch said seeming more amusing than Merlidan would have liked.

Merlidan was so focussed on the screen that she didn’t hear the door behind them hiss open.

“Oh by the way, I told security you were here.” Gretch said as Merlidan was wretched out of her seat and dragged from the room.

"Jedi!"

Genn grinded his teeth beneath his robes cowl. Things had gone from bad...to pretty damn terrible.

The newly arrived Sith bore his purple blade in front of him, in an aggressive stance. The Sith troopers, bound by their duty stopped firing. The trooper behind him continued working on the control panel, he knew stopping Merlidan's message was a priority.

Genn was flanked, and although the troopers were holding off, the Sith could order them to join the fray at any moment. With a Force user here, there was no telling what other surprises awaited. He assumed this must be the apprentice, for there are always 2. The master must be sending a message of his own to Lord Malak.

"Merlidan! The Sith are here, try to send a second message telling the Jedi-"

The Sith charged and Genn had to drop the comm and grip his lightsaber with both hands to deflect the attack. The commicator fell victim to the Sith's foot with a crunch,

"Your friends can't help you now fool, you will fall before the might of the Sith empire!"

"I can say the same for you, friend." Genn retorted as he lowered his hood. The Sith responded with an attack using the Djem So form, utilizing strength.

Genn paced backwards, defending himself as necessary. His opponent lunged with a stab and Genn deflected it, leaving his opponent open for a hilt bash. His head rocked back and Genn took the opportunity to side step and take the offensive. The Sith recovered quickly and defended, adopting Ataru form to deflect Genn's expert attacks.

A blast of Force energy shot forth, and Genn was blown backward. The apprentice saw this opportunity while Genn was dazed and leapt after him, bringing his lightsaber down in a wide purple arc for a finishing move. Genn propelled himself with the Force upward before the strike landed, and touched down on the roof of a building behind him.

"You wont get away Jedi!"

The apprentice jumped after him, lightsaber first, with another strong attack. Genn saw that he utilized anger and strength for most of his strategy, as many Sith do. However Genn was tired of being on the defensive and needed to reach his ship to send a message to his own apprentice.

As the Sith came down on Genn, Genn parried the blow with a one handed manuever and with his open hand, grabbed the apprentice by the tunic and slammed him down on the floor. His opponent winced in pain and Genn stabbed downward to impale him.

The Sith thought quickly and swept his leg, catching Genn and he tumbled to the groud beside him. A flash of purple caught his eye and Genn held up his blade and caught the strike, blocking it with a flash of light and a loud clash. They both spun away from each other and stood, facing one another once more on the roof top.

((Darth Maul Clone, I really wish youd read other people's posts. I had my characters meet Katon in post 50 on the last page. Its not a big deal storywise, but I'm just saying))

((Karson, basically a civil war just erupted on Balkest between the human colonists and the Kubaz. There's five rings with some kind of darkside power, but only Genn Ostace, a Jedi negotiator, and Merlidan, a Procurement Specialist caught in the crossfire, know of one of the artifact’s existence. That one ring is in the possession of Trask Heyurk who is the leader of the human colonists. The ring seems to be corrupting a lot of the humans making them violent and irrational.

Currently Ostace and Kess Alto are the only Jedi on Balkest. However, Lieutenant Cors and 3 other Sith troopers happened to be planetside when the fighting broke out. Shortly before that, Katon Bersek (Sith) arrived with his apprentice to make things difficult for the Jedi. However, Malak and the Empire as a whole are unaware of most of this.

If you’re looking to bring Jaden Marx into the equation, the Sith troopers are breaking into the Communications Relay Center to send a transmission to the Empire. If you want, Marx can be the one we notify. If you can’t wait that long, I don’t suppose it’s too farfetched for Malak to have gotten wind of the darkside rings and grudgingly put him in charge of the operation to get them. Is that something a Grand Marshal would do? I don’t know. But I hope that’s enough background for you.))

Lieutenant Cor’s heart lept when the apprentice arrived. Having fellow lightsabers on the battlefield took a lot of the pressure off.

Then that Nautolan came around and things seemed to be getting worse a lot faster than they were getting better.

“Not so fun when the tables are turned, are they?” she said as she Force pushed him back.

The apprentice caught his balance and snarled in reply. He lunged at back at the newcomer crashing his violet saber into her weapon. Genn confidently punced forwards to join the fray. The Jedi’s blows synced up to harmoniously fend off the attacking Sith.

“The dark side fuels my actions!” spat Bersek’s pupil. “I will squash both of you like huks! You are no match for a Sith.”

He furiously swung his weapon in a giant arc. The Nautolan Jedi leaped over the apprentice to dodge the blow while Ostace easily blocked it with his own yellow blade shifting into the more refined Makashi lightsaber form. Genn knew that with Kess exhausting the Sith with her fierce and rapid Ataru style, he could defeat the apprentice with fine-tuned strikes while their opponent was kept on the defensive.

“I suspect you are not a true Sith yet, son.” the Master said gently deciding to put his negotiating skills into effect. “You can’t win. Don’t give into hate and despair. The darkness will consume you.”

The apprentice wouldn’t hear of it. He was a blur of rage continually knocking back both Jedi despite him being outnumbered. However, a bead of sweat running down the side of his face showed that he was weakening.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Cors had managed to open the blast doors into the CRC building.

“Pure Sabacc,” said Cors under his breath as the entrance slid open.

“Lieutenant,” said Davies into the comlink. “They’re going to overwhelm the apprentice. Should we assist him?”

“Negative,” responded Cors who had already thought about this. “We’d just get in the way. And getting to the subspace radio is our top priority. Understand?”

“Yes sir,” answered Jayce, Davies, and Grayner simultaneously. Cors entered the building with his blaster raised. His three troops followed backing into the CRC slowly until the dueling Jedi and Sith were out of sight.

Another reason Cors had decided to leave the apprentice to his fate was that he did not know the will of the boy’s master. If Katon Bersek wished the boy’s survival then he would no doubt see it through. Rendon Cors had seen too many ignorant troopers suffer at the hands of Sith Lords whose affairs they’d thoughtlessly meddled in. The apprentice’s outcome was up to the Force now.

Marx didn't want the promotion, and he hated being stuck behind a desk. 

"Reven knew that, just as Malak did, so why did Malak take me out of the field?" Marx thought as he sat behind his desk with his head in his hands.

Marx had never been a staff officer, he had always worked in the field, fight with his men, hurting with his men...but now sence Reven was killed Marx had been getting a lot more crap from the Naval Branch of the Sith Military.

"Sir, you have a transmission from Admiral Karath," announced Marx's assistant.

Marx sighed, "Okay, patch him through."

A small version of the Admiral appeared in the center of Marx's desk. "Good, morning old friend," Karath said smiling.

"I don't know how good of a morning it is up there for you but, down here its one thing after another, and there is too much paper," replied Marx with a hint of spite in his voice.

Saul chuckled, "I knew you wouldn't like the desk, you never where much of a sit-down kind of trooper."

"What do you need Saul?" asked Marx, as he signed some papers.

"What I can't just call and check on you old buddy?" Saul asked.

"No, what do you want?" asked Marx. "If its nothing leave me alone; I have loads of paper work to do."

"Look, Malak is sending you to invade Balkest," Saul replied.

"Balkest?" asked Marx, slightly puzzled.

"Yes, and he wants in done quick," Saul replied

"As usual Malak cant wait for anything," Marx sighed. "Okay, which fleet will my force be flying in on?"

"The 75th, their commander will listen to you," Saul said.

"Okay, Thanks." Marx shut the holocomm off.

((How is that?))

((Karson, I'm gonna post in the next couple days and ill try to work your character in somehow. The RPG must live on!))

Marx's invasion force was based out of Peragus II, at its north pole. Marx had conquered Peragus Space just recently, despite the weapons hazard that the planet posed. Marx had won the battle with out firing a single shot. By using melee weapons, Marx and his men managed to surround the Republic forces defending the planet and push them out of the Peragus System. Due to the victory that ensured a free and stable fuel source for the Sith Fleet, Marx and his invasion force was honored with a unit citation. Marx was proud of his men for winning the battle and receiving the unit citation from Malak.

Sense the victory, Marx had imposed martial law on the Peragus Mining Complex and allow for minimal leave for the miners. However Marx was a fair ruler and allowed miner the luxury of leaving the system on family business. Marx made sure his men didn't bother of interfere with the miners or their jobs, but allowing for troopers to interact with the miners.

Now sense Marx's invasion force was leaving a Dark Jedi from Korriban was coming to run the system and Marx feared what the Dark Jedi would do to miners. However, Marx had little say in the matter. Marx got his men ready for departure and the Miner ready for the change in administration. Marx personally addressed the Miners informing them that their lives may be taking a turn for the worse, and briefed them on Malak's Dark Jedi.

The 75th Armada came out of hyperspace just outside the asteroid field.

"Admiral Weilder, 75th Armada, requesting the orbital drift charts," A voice said in the command center on Peragus II.

The communications officer looked over his shoulder at Marx, as if the ask," Should I grant their request?"

Marx nodded at the communications officer.

"Peragus Command Center to Admiral Weilder, this is Lieutenant Grann, of the 762nd Invasion Force, I am sending you the drift charts now, proceed with caution," the officer said into his head set as he pressed a series of buttons.

**********************************************************************************************************

After 4 hours the armada finally reached Peragus II. A landing shuttle made its way to the base on the planet's surface.

As the shuttle landed the Marx and his second in command, Commander Rath, and is ranking sergeant, Command Sergeant Herth, approached the landing pad. The shuttle landed and Admiral Weilder and a hooded figure followed behind him.

"Greetings, Admiral, let me introduce my subordinates, Commander Rath and Command Sergeant Herth," Marx said.

The Admiral saluted Marx, and proceeded with introductions,"Its an honor to finally meet you, Grand Field Marshall. I am Admiral Weilder and the man beside me is---"

The figure spoke,"Is, Dustil Onasi."

Onasi stuck out his and for a shake, and Marx took it and shook.

"Onasi?" asked Marx remembering the Captain that he served with in the Mandalrian wars.

"Yes, why?" asked the dark jedi.

"If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?" asked Marx still a little surprised.

"Uthar sent me, he said Malak needed someone to over see the facility, until you and your men return," replied Onasi, as he lowered his hood.

"Okay, um, all the stuff you need is on the desk in my office.

"Well, Field Marshall, have you gotten your Invasion force ready?" asked the Admiral.

"Yes, we are ready to depart," Marx said tearing his eyes from Onasi.

With that the group dispersed.

Marx's cruiser lifted off and the rest of the Invasion Fleet ships did the same, as the sith force left the asteroid field, Marx could help but stare out the bridge view port, and wonder if he was on the right side....
Then the fleet jumped to hyperspace.