Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Tethys Carrack]

((Entering from: viewtopic.php?p=2281#p2281 ))

Tethys lets the emergency supply crate creak loose from her chilled fingers, coming to rest on the icy floor with a dull thunk.

"Last one?" The words puff from her mouth in a pale cloud of condensation, a question to the general mass of battered, chilled Republic castaways in earshot. "I think there are still more pods out there, but they're not close."

She frowns slightly at the crate by her feet, dark gaze intent but abstracted. "It may be worth pulling the pod electronics and fuel tubes, not just the emergency kits. For whatever use is left in them." Republic survival bags were pretty thoughtfully designed, but they were supposed to be general-purpose. An abandoned but potentially functional glacier base on an ice planet might call for a different range of resources.

((Open to anyone who landed successfully and is here! I've assumed Tethys doesn't yet know team Sith is marooned too, though she's doubtless about to find out.))

[Remmington Balmung]

/ I'll take that awkward encounter!
Entering from here /

After doing a quick over on the Skidbladnir to check for any major damage, Remmington decides to check the rest of the base for the source of the Imperial distress signal and for survivors from the previous military transport. With his thermal cloak, scanner goggles, and glow rod he sets off exploring.

He comes around what looks like to be a common area and stops as he spots a Jedi. Not quite the survivor that he was expecting. After what seems like a long awkward pause. He offers the Jedi a polite salute.

"Greetings. I take it you had some pirate trouble? Lord Remmington Balmung of the Empire." He takes a moment to put his goggles on his forehead to reveal his face.

[Tethys Carrack]

Without seeming to move abruptly or nervously, Tethys is suddenly in between Remmington and the nearest cluster of Republic civilians. Her robe billows around her armored limbs for a moment in the cold air, the only thing betraying how quickly she'd shifted position.

She cocks her head slightly, dark gaze pinning the Sith for a moment before sliding behind him to check for others.

Not imminently hostile. The pirates had been attacking Sith and Republic ships; it is indeed possible both forces had been caught equally flat-footed. And so, Sith castaways. Tethys's jaw tightens for just a moment, and then she shrugs and lets the visual sign of tension go.

"Master... Balmung? Is that your correct form of address?" Her lips quirk almost imperceptibly. "We had precisely the same trouble you had, I surmise." And then, because he'd offered his name, she adds, "Carrack. Tethys," with a nod of acknowledgement.

[Remmington Balmung]

"Most people just call us Lord or Sith. So Lord Balmung or Lord Remmington is fine." Remmington just stood there while Tethys moved. He actually offers a smile and visibly relaxes when she offers her name.

"How should I address you? Is it Lady Carrack, Jedi Carrack, or Master Carrack? My apologies but its been over a decade since I last talked with some people of the Republic in person."

[Luth Khalan]

There was, in fact, another approaching from behind Remmington. A small figure cloaked and dressed from head to toe in black armor. No lightsaber on their side, though. Simply a very long gun.

They stopped as they reached Remmington. "Oh. More survivors. That's good." The voice from inside was undistorted except by simply coming through a helmet and feminine.

Realizing names has already been exchanged, she hesitated.

[Tethys Carrack]

"Whatever suits you. I don't hold any government rank or planetary noble title."

She casts a glance over her shoulder at the Republic castaways, returning to scrutinize the two Sith. "More survivors, yes. Is this going to be a problem for you?" Tethys shrugs, twitching an eyebrow. "Honesty makes these situations easier, I have found. As you see, I'm a Jedi. You can call me by that if you care to. Otherwise Carrack will do."

Her stance remains calm, but prepared to move.

[Luth Khalan]

There was a beat of silence, then she sighed. "No, it's not a problem. I meant that it's sincerely a good thing that there are more survivors."

Well, if she'd heard the name before, it'd be something she'd have to deal with sooner or later. "Luth Khalan."

[Dapper Dog]

"Whatever suits you. I don't hold any government rank or planetary noble title."

She casts a glance over her shoulder at the Republic castaways, returning to scrutinize the two Sith. "More survivors, yes. Is this going to be a problem for you?" Tethys shrugs, twitching an eyebrow. "Honesty makes these situations easier, I have found. As you see, I'm a Jedi. You can call me by that if you care to. Otherwise Carrack will do."

Her stance remains calm, but prepared to move.

The Republic castaways look nervous as they see the Sith being so… personable. One keeps their blaster in hand while the others start looking for any weapons. One of them says, “Master Jedi, are you sure about this?”

[Zeno Thul]

Zeno's enters the common area with a thermal cloak on and a crate in his arms. He sets it down near Tethys's stuff. He looks to her and says, "Stimpacks, 40 of them. Let people grab them if they need them."

He looks to the Sith in the room and doesn't change his expression. Both of them would feel that he is much stronger than the last time he met them... and still quite connected to the dark side.

"Been a while," he says, focusing on Luth. He's felt her before and wouldn't mistake that feeling.

[Remmington Balmung]

Remmington turns to notes the new arrivals. "Thanks for making it."

Looking back to Tethys. "As you wish."

He then looks over to the refugees. "Does anyone need healing? I can assist. Save you some stimpaks."

He was glad that he reboot the system and somehow managed to improve the efficiency of the software on his ship. He even managed to generate some extra power that he stored away and will use to help power the base repairs tempoarily.

/ Throwing this in now. Wasn't sure if I could do Dmg Control during event or not.

D1 MM. Rerolling to account for Depleted Power. Dmg Control on ship. Mechanics/Int @ Hard. Custom Tool Kit. Ally assist. Inventor. Intuitive Improvements. Depleted Power +3 Difficulty. Master Artisan -1 Difficulty. 4eP+1eA+3eB+2eF+2eD+1eC: 4eP+1eA+3eB+2eF+2eD+1eC 7 successes, 1 advantage, 1 Triumph, 3 Light Side

+2 Strain
SS completely recovered.
Extra power generated from ship. Will give +1eB to a Base Repair once later.

[Luth Khalan]

Zeno's enters the common area with a thermal cloak on and a crate in his arms. He sets it down near Tethys's stuff. He looks to her and says, "Stimpacks, 40 of them. Let people grab them if they need them."

He looks to the Sith in the room and doesn't change his expression. Both of them would feel that he is much stronger than the last time he met them... and still quite connected to the dark side.

"Been a while," he says, focusing on Luth. He's felt her before and wouldn't mistake that feeling.

She nodded to Remmington. "Of course. Now wasn't the time or place to start suddenly showing failure." I have enough of that in my past already.

When Zeno appeared, she straightened her posture. He could feel the rise in her power, as well. Possibly sense the brightening of her emotions upon seeing him. They'd had a strong connection years ago, after all. "Zeno! Too long, I think."

[Remmington Balmung]

"Is everyone's ship okay?" Remmington asks.

[Zeno Thul]

"It has been too long. I hope that you are finding victory in your endeavors," he says, fully expecting most of them wouldn't really impact himself meaningfully.

"My ships doing ok. It'll fly just fine once the weather lets up. Just need some armor repairs eventually."

[Remmington Balmung]

"I can help repairs if anyone wants." He offers. "The major hull repairs will probably have to wait till we get more power though."

[Rumun Gol]

Walking around the base, after succesfully landed in his pod, another survivor came around. He was wearing a full enviro-suit that covered his features, but he was really really tall, and lean, clearly a xenos.

The alien looked around, noticing other people did survive, just like him. It would seem that, for some reason, there were imperial and republic citizens around. In the same place...

For now the alien didn't seem to be taking any side. He was just moving stuff, and checking what equipment did he managed to get through the chaos.

[Remmington Balmung]

"There's a presence that I have not felt in a long time..." Remmington comments and flashes a smile without turning his head to indicate who he is addressing.

[Rumun Gol]

of course it would rather quickly that someone would had found about his presence. Not that he was hidding. Not at all, in fact, it was rather amusing that he had passed unnoticed until now, he was not even trying.

The tall alien did indeed seem to nod towards the direction of Remmington. It was difficult to say due to the space suit that was fully covering the alien.

[Tethys Carrack]

There was a beat of silence, then she sighed. "No, it's not a problem. I meant that it's sincerely a good thing that there are more survivors."

Well, if she'd heard the name before, it'd be something she'd have to deal with sooner or later. "Luth Khalan."

The Republic castaways look nervous as they see the Sith being so… personable. One keeps their blaster in hand while the others start looking for any weapons. One of them says, “Master Jedi, are you sure about this?”

"Luth... Khalan." Tethys's brows twitch up; that sounds familiar from somewhere. A military camp many years ago, a conversation with then-Captain Organa... "Ah. That's a name I haven't heard in some time. Since Bankor, I believe. "

She opens her mind to the Force, trying to sense whether the growing knot of Sith survivors are nursing murderous intent under the surface of this seemingly mundane interaction, but it's too difficult to focus; the frozen base is filling up with people in various states of emotional agitation and physical distress, creating a multilayered psychic racket she can't sort through right now.

"Well. I agree, the more survivors the better."

She divides her attention again, looking back over her shoulder at the Republic castaway who'd spoken. "Whether I'm sure or not, it is happening," she answers their question, one corner of her mouth quirking minutely. "Least of our problems. Focus on securing those supplies."

Glancing back to the gathering Sith (and now Zeno... who is technically not a Sith), she opens her hands. "Given their reaction, the White Maw pirates think your force is here for them--as we are. Are they right?"



--

D1 MM--mostly fluff Sense surface thoughts/emotions on the Sith, basically "are you literally about to stab me." Discipline + Sense force power: 2eP+2eA+2eF 2 successes, 1 advantage, 3 Dark Side

Don't flip the DS pips, no activation.

[Luth Khalan]

She let out a soft breath, helmet tilting to the side. "I had a feeling. I don't think we talked, but you looked a little familiar." Nothing about her demeanor says stabbing, certainly., but it's hard to tell between the psychic racket and the helmet.

"That's accurate. Though it's a strange coincidence, especially given..." She paused. "Have the Jedi felt anything... odd in the Force lately?"

[Darth Baras]

They can hear an Imperial shuttle touching down in what they assume passes for the hangar. A few officers and soldiers in Imperial garb follow a rather large but powerful looking masked man in ornate almost ritualistic clothing.

Luth feels him long before they land.

It is Darth Baras.

The defeat by the pirates weighed heavy on him as he stepped down from the shuttle but there was a little more bounce in his step when he feels that Luth survived, or perhaps just relief that a useful tool was not yet broken.

The dark lord approached.

[Remmington Balmung]

Remmington does not shed any bloodlust whatsoever. When Tethys looks his way, he looks back and the wind somehow picks up and he flashes a stunning look.

Looking back to the tall suited alien. "I'm surprised to see you out here. What brings you all the way out here?"

Noticing a new presence, Remmington offers a polite salute to the dark lord.


/ Fixed repair roll in previous post.

Recover Strain. Cool/Presence. 1eP+1eA =
1 success, 1 advantage, 1 Triumph

-2 Strain
Magnum!

[Zeno Thul]

Zeno watches the approach but doesn't react outside of that. "The sensation? They have from my conversations."

[Rumun Gol]

Looking back to the tall suited alien. "I'm surprised to see you out here. What brings you all the way out here?"

Noticing a new presence, Remmington offers a polite salute to the dark lord.

The tall alien bows, lowly to Remmington, once he approached.

'' What are you talking about my lord? '' The alien voice sounds familiar, but distorted through the enviro-suit. '' I'm just a simple spaceship crew survivor, nothing more...'' He was of course just joking, from the tone. '' A worker trying just to make ends meet ''

The alien also gave a low bow to the Duke-Consort of House Thul, as he is known now, of course.

'' But a more precise answer is that the force acts in strange and fascinating ways, right? '' He commented to Remmington, as he noticed that no other than Baras was here as well. '' Such a fascinating universe we live in. It never ceases to amuse me how the force acts...'' He said.

'' One moment one is on a spaceship, then there is a crash, and suddenly you are surrounded by old familiar faces...'' He adds.

[Tethys Carrack]

She let out a soft breath, helmet tilting to the side. "I had a feeling. I don't think we talked, but you looked a little familiar." Nothing about her demeanor says stabbing, certainly., but it's hard to tell between the psychic racket and the helmet.

"That's accurate. Though it's a strange coincidence, especially given..." She paused. "Have the Jedi felt anything... odd in the Force lately?"

"You were a friend of Mr. Varliss, I think I recall. Once." Tethys gives the masked woman a measuring look.

"Strange if it were a coincidence, yes. But we have felt something is... coming. I'm not surprised the Sith feel it too." Tethys nods. There's a note of curiosity alongside the wariness in her voice; she wonders what the peculiar feeling is like to these Dark Side users. Luth's phrasing doesn't suggest thrilled anticipation, so perhaps the Sith don't fully understand this dark current either. Or at least any that do have special knowledge about it aren't sharing widely with their peers.

They can hear an Imperial shuttle touching down in what they assume passes for the hangar. A few officers and soldiers in Imperial garb follow a rather large but powerful looking masked man in ornate almost ritualistic clothing.

Luth feels him long before they land.

It is Darth Baras.

The defeat by the pirates weighed heavy on him as he stepped down from the shuttle but there was a little more bounce in his step when he feels that Luth survived, or perhaps just relief that a useful tool was not yet broken.

The dark lord approached.

Tethys casts a level look at the Obvious Dark Lord. Is there still a chance this is the day she's going to become one with the Force, after all? She has a feeling there are still more Republic crew in the base than Sith overall, but this is quite the concentration of power, and Zeno and the unknown stranger talking with Balmung might be uncertain backup at best if something should go wrong.

"Master Khalan, Master Balmung... perhaps you could introduce your colleague?" she asks in a calm, authoritative tone. She has probably heard of Darth Baras, but it's not as if she'd recognize him on sight.

[Luth Khalan]

"You were a friend of Mr. Varliss, I think I recall. Once." Tethys gives the masked woman a measuring look.

"Strange if it were a coincidence, yes. But we have felt something is... coming. I'm not surprised the Sith feel it too." Tethys nods. There's a note of curiosity alongside the wariness in her voice; she wonders what the peculiar feeling is like to these Dark Side users. Luth's phrasing doesn't suggest thrilled anticipation, so perhaps the Sith don't fully understand this dark current either. Or at least any that do have special knowledge about it aren't sharing widely with their peers.

"Once indeed," she replied, tone distant. She doubted she had any friends but Zeno left in the Republic. Ties cut out of what had felt like necessity then. To protect them from the man who had just arrived.

They can hear an Imperial shuttle touching down in what they assume passes for the hangar. A few officers and soldiers in Imperial garb follow a rather large but powerful looking masked man in ornate almost ritualistic clothing.

Luth feels him long before they land.

It is Darth Baras.

The defeat by the pirates weighed heavy on him as he stepped down from the shuttle but there was a little more bounce in his step when he feels that Luth survived, or perhaps just relief that a useful tool was not yet broken.

The dark lord approached.

Luth straightened as soon as she sensed his approach, well before he arrived. When he finally did, she turned and bowed. "I am pleased to see your safe arrival." She turned toward Tethys. "Darth Baras. A powerful dark lord of the Sith, and my master, though I am sure his reputation precedes him."