Hoth: Blood and Ice

The common area was brimming with tension as the two factions separated into the Empire and Republic both trying to claim the other was responsible. The blizzard continued just beyond the open bays of the Hangar and the noise made it hard for some to be heard which made people shout.

There was one simple truth, if this came to blows then there would be little hope for anyone surviving long without being scattered across the wastes. But could the two sides come to an understanding.

Darth Baras raised a hand and said, “For now we will have to find a way to work together or forcibly cast out one side into the unforgiving wastes and weaken ourselves versus a mutual foe. One far more powerful than either of us surmised. Surely the Republic, can recognize that simple fact.”

“We will not go quietly into that dark night, Senator. I assure you.”

Senator Saresh hated the Sith Empire they had taken so much from the Republic, and now they wanted more. For a moment she seemed intent to risk it all here and now. She took a deep breath and said, “That sounds like a truce of sorts.”

Thy offered, “Darth Baras, I cannot speak for all of the Republic but in this happenstance, I do agree that pooling our resources and allowing us time to assess our situation is the most prudent path forward. But that will require trust on both sides, and more than that an earnest effort to work together if we are to survive.”

“I am not asking for Peace but the Power to defeat our enemies,” she finished.

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"One day of power shared requires one day of peace." Jedi Carrack makes her entrance into the conversation, long-fingered hands held conspicuously open at her sides and away from her weapon. "And open honesty." She nods gravely at Baras, sweeping his retinue with a dark-eyed glance. "If the Imperial castaways are as willing to meet those terms as the rest of us, I see no problem."

Tethys stands casually, seemingly prepared to take 'yes' for an answer--but also prepared to assess the sincerity of any promises the Sith contingent may make.

Remmington arrives in fairly good condition and offers a polite nod to everyone. "Seems pointless to waste our resources and time trying to kill each other when the weather and pirates are more than eager to do so as well."

He looks around. "Maybe we can find something better than nutrient paste around here."

Luth stood nearby, not far from her Master's side, features hidden behind an expressionless helmet. Her posture wasn't challenging, simply stable and direct, arms crossed comfortably in front of her. The expressionless mask of her helmet scanned all of those present, and she nodded at Remmington's comment.

"Survival here is going to be a numbers game. Active cooperation is the best way to gain an advantage over those enemies. We're still worse off if we don't, even if we're not actively fighting each other."

Darth Bellious remained at the sidelines of the conversation for now, hooded in her thermal cloak. For her, the most interesting individual in the room was Senator Saresh. Of all people here, she was the one playing on the same galactic chessboard as Moyr, pieces being the hearts and minds of entire populations. The irony of Rylothian provenance of them both didn't escape the Lethan Twi'lek. It was probably the first time they were in the same room.

The whole collaboration discussion was something she didn't feel like making a stand on. Baras and the Jedi had spoken, the momentum was there and it was hard to arrest it even if it were a better option.

That more Republic survivors were going to flock in was a virtual certainty, so Moyr stayed alerted in case someone with a more direct history with her would appear, enemy... or else. She felt the Force working its mysterious ways here...

"How do we know this isn't some Sith trick?" a woman shouted angrily.

Layne *finally* made it to the base; freezing her ass off. despite the engine of her speederbike attempting its best to keep it warm for her.

She had *no* idea what was waiting for her inside. She could see the people gathered inside from the moment she made it past the threshold of course, but she paid them no immediate mind as she focused on settling her bike and equipment away first before she'd wade into whatever mess *that* was.

And what a mess it was indeed. The shouting made her look up over there and... oh.

Oh... shit.

*Seriously*?

Her hand instinctively went to the hilt of her darksaber; but she didn't unclip it. There was tension here, but not outright hostility. Not yet anyway. But anyone who happened to take a glance in the direction of the blizzard outside would see that the black-clad figure approaching the group seemed more ready for the possibility of having to engage in violence.

Her hood obscured her face, and she wasn't wearing her old armor that her former classmates might've recognized, so they might not immediately recognize the ghost standing in their midsts. Of course, that was only for the brief moments she stood there; taking in what was happening, who was there, what the tenor of the conversation was. Her fellow Jedi did the predictable thing; she could not fault them even if she knew it was naive. Someone yelled something about Sith tricks. Less naive, but no more informed.

Then she pulled her hood down, revealing her face. Staring right at Baras; her expression not as hate-filled as it always was when she was his apprentice, but no less intense.

"Their tricks tend to be a little less incompetent than this. I don't fully understand what's going on here, but I think we can at least trust that they are in the same position we are for now, however much trust that garners. I'd be more concerned about what happens once that changes."

Layne Hoshin wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 12, 2022 7:32 am

Then she pulled her hood down, revealing her face. Staring right at Baras; her expression not as hate-filled as it always was when she was his apprentice, but no less intense.

"Their tricks tend to be a little less incompetent than this. I don't fully understand what's going on here, but I think we can at least trust that they are in the same position we are for now, however much trust that garners. I'd be more concerned about what happens once that changes."

If there was a reaction the mask hid it as he replied, "We have larger concerns, I agree, Master Jedi."

Kassi Fett wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 12, 2022 7:00 am

"How do we know this isn't some Sith trick?" a woman shouted angrily.

"I don't think anyone will be insulted if you sleep with your guns under your pillow," she offers a wink toward hot-blooded Mandalorian woman. Settling back into her place in the whole big mess of it all afterwards.

Though, honestly, it was like she much cared to trust the Sith any much more than the next happy idiot but she was pleased enough to play the part of a happy idiot. Hoth was a bitch after all, and pirates sucked.

“Zhe sensors used for security are shot, zhis place has languished for decades it seems perhaps more. Zhe command center may have some functionality but zhe turbolift to zhe lower levels is fused and inoperable,” a woman said as she approached, flanked by Imperial soldiers.

One soldier held out a holo display of the facility, or at least what they had mapped of it, as she continued, “Zhis central area will have to do as shelter, zhe hangar area should be cleared as well to make room for any ships that survived zhe ambush. Communications offworld is currently not possible. No contact with zhe Empress’ Spear, and no Republic communication either.”

She continued, “If we can get more power we can potentially bring what I believe is zhe medical wing or zhe habitation area. Zhe situation is not ideal but we can either posture like zu’kata mongrels or prepare because if zhe White Maw want to finish zhe job zhey won’t have to work hard.”

“Without proper power we can’t mount a proper defense, and ask yourself zhis zhe White Maw have us dead to rights, why did zhey not finish zhe job,” she finished.

A silent masked figure in a white cloak stood near the edges of the conversation and observed. Only slightly did his head move when Master Hoshin spoke.

Layne Hoshin wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 12, 2022 7:32 am

"Their tricks tend to be a little less incompetent than this. I don't fully understand what's going on here, but I think we can at least trust that they are in the same position we are for now, however much trust that garners. I'd be more concerned about what happens once that changes."

"Maybe we take our chances now, and let the Maker sort them out," she said angrily.

"The environment outside is no trick." Galen spoke up. "It doesn't care who you are or what you support. It will kill you if you're careless. We have an enemy out there who have been living under these conditions for some time. They can wait comfortably for us to waste our resources and weaken our forces. We've got a lot of work to do to avoid that."

Kassi holstered her weapon, for now.

She cocked her head slightly. Baras had known she was alive, of course. She realized that. He must've known at least since Bankor, maybe even earlier. Still, she'd hoped for a bigger reaction than a mildly sarcastic emphasis on the word 'master'. Maybe she'd have liked to instill a bit of *fear* in him, seeing his old apprentice back from the dead; though maybe she was just letting her emotions get the better of her. This really did feel like Korriban all over again, and it seemed like it was bringing out some of her old unpleasant qualities again.

Layne elected to focus on pragmatism as a way of ignoring those feelings.

"I take it at least *some* ships survived? Any chance one could make it back into space and get a signal out? Maybe even make it past the Maw?"

Layne Hoshin wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 12, 2022 8:19 am

She cocked her head slightly. Baras had known she was alive, of course. She realized that. He must've known at least since Bankor, maybe even earlier. Still, she'd hoped for a bigger reaction than a mildly sarcastic emphasis on the word 'master'. Maybe she'd have liked to instill a bit of *fear* in him, seeing his old apprentice back from the dead; though maybe she was just letting her emotions get the better of her. This really did feel like Korriban all over again, and it seemed like it was bringing out some of her old unpleasant qualities again.

Layne elected to focus on pragmatism as a way of ignoring those feelings.

"I take it at least *some* ships survived? Any chance one could make it back into space and get a signal out? Maybe even make it past the Maw?"

“Not in this weather, it was a bantha chase just getting down. Communications are jammed, and currently the White Maw have space superiority, so anyone going back up is well… not to say that’s a suicide mission but it’s not good odds either, Master,” Daz responded.

“They seem content to let us freeze down here for now.”

Zeno enters the room, with Lady Savagery finding someplace out of the way to observe everyone.

His expression was stoic as he addressed the group, "I didn't realize mask were the new mandatory fashion accessory in the empire. Survival is the first concern. We have to live so that we can all kill each other without distraction later."

Zeno Thul wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 12, 2022 8:43 am

Zeno enters the room, with Lady Savagery finding someplace out of the way to observe everyone.

His expression was stoic as he addressed the group, "I didn't realize mask were the new mandatory fashion accessory in the empire. Survival is the first concern. We have to live so that we can all kill each other without distraction later."

"Jokes aside, let's focus less on killing each other at any time and more on the current matter," Thy added. "I think the majority are on the same idea, we have to work together."

"We can accept that Master Jedi," Darth Baras agreed.

"So, we need to assess our resources, secure this base, scout the area and find a way to increase power. He looked around. "This is a very capable group. We should be able to handle most of that."

Zeno Thul wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 12, 2022 8:43 am

Zeno enters the room, with Lady Savagery finding someplace out of the way to observe everyone.

His expression was stoic as he addressed the group, "I didn't realize mask were the new mandatory fashion accessory in the empire. Survival is the first concern. We have to live so that we can all kill each other without distraction later."

Zeno, recognised, was gestured in subtle greeting.