[20 BBY]
[Executive Security Solutions City-ship/Capital-class Warship Stormcrow {II}, Task-force Night Shroud, Battle-group Army of Light, Exiting Hyperspace, Outer Edge, Dathomir System, Quelii System, Outer Rim Territories]
"Emergence complete, we're...just at the edge of the system Captain-General, no sign of any enemy forces on sensors, but we can't guarantee there aren't any hidden somewhere in the asteroid belt, or a planetary shadow"
I nodded slowly sitting in my command chair, the tactical holo-display indicating such, along with large screens showing the blackness of space interspersed with planetary bodies "Good to hear Yulen, deploy scout squadrons and monitor all frequencies. We'll take this slow and careful, and once we're sure there aren't any hidden forces in system we'll set our own hidden forces in place before we approach the planet itself"
My Task-force was technically two separate patrols that I'd secretly formed up into a large task-force just after my squadron left on patrol and just before the other was due back. My own Stormcrow, a Venator, an Acclamator, formed the core of my task-force; with four Revenant-class Munificent refits and six various lighter ships as escorts. Hardly a devastating force, but it should be enough to fight its way out should this prove to be a trap, and I was early for my date so to speak. So, extra time to carefully scout out the system from the edges, and then move a reserve into one of the 'hidden' spots, sensor-wise, and place a few a probe-droids in-system.
Sad to say, but I was a little paranoid at times, and I think my distrust was justified when it came to a girl who wanted to be a Sith, and a dathomiri witch that ruled a tribe of Dark Side using witches. Not only that but a matriarchal tribal society as well, with a history of tormenting the Nightbrothers and very insular beliefs by all accounts. The fact this 'Mother Talzin' wanted to meet little old me, rather than just Ventress, was mildly concerning considering what I knew of the tribe, but the opportunity was too great to turn down. So in we went, careful as one could manage, while I waited upon my former Master to arrive and begin discuss a Clone Chip conspiracy.
'Hmm...maybe it's because you're more inclined to face the potential trap of the evil sorceress, or her dark secrets, rather than face Stass about the nightmare to come that you've been hiding?' I mused to myself silently resting back in my command chair, hands together with elbows on the cushioned sides. The system was quiet, mostly because it was relatively primitive due to the Jedi Order's efforts, and whatever monitoring post they'd had in-system had been destroyed once the Jedi Master or Knight who'd ran it was withdrawn. Or forced to withdraw by enemy forces;- we were in a fuzzy area of space between the Republic and Confederacy, though the system held no strategic significance right now.
"Weird Force magic scenario Boss..." Yulen murmured to me and I shrugged "...havin' a lot of them lately"
"Yes, more weirdness Yulen sorry to say, and I'd have liked not to have gone in with such a big force...but beggars can't be choosers..." I replied. In the past a small trip in an easily controlled scenario, with a tiny crew, allowed me to cover these things up, but now it depended on professional training and data-management amongst the various crews "...and I want to know what powerful witch-sorceress might know, especially with certain Jedi concerns"
Yulen nodded at that as he went silent, knowing of our little conspiracy as one its agents, and allowing the lowly buzzing of orders and observations to flow across the large bridge. Even with a system devoid of orbital infrastructure there was a massive amount of work to be done, from watching for threats, to being ready at a moment's notice to suppress unknown signals.
Slowly, carefully, we creep further into the system as my TIE squadrons screened us, two of the small patrol boats exploring out a position nearby the local gas giant and finding it empty. Somewhere for the Venator and Acclamator, with escortd, to 'hide' as the Stormcrow continued with an escort of two Revenant-class frigates and the auxiliary-carrier Mercy's Lament, towards the planet upper orbitals...
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[20 BBY[Plus Four Hours, Fifteen Minutes]
[Executive Security Solutions Gunship, Landing Dathomir, Dathomir System, Quelii System, Outer Rim Territories]
"Well, well, well...isn't this a rather pleasant surprise now, isn't it?" I murmured stepping off the gunship and unto the mist covered ground of night-time Dathomir. The very much *alive* Dathomir as I felt the faintest touch of the winds of the arcane, the pulse of a weave that was not a weave that seemed to be so rare in the galaxy to my experiences so far. Dark, but not as Dark as Moraband or the remains of Malachor of course, but there was a difference here, a living biome, part of the Force, yet its own quasi-entity within...interesting.
'Hmm, best resist the temptation to make use of the easy access' I reminded myself striding forward almost tempted to perform a spell and test out how much easier the ambient arcane energy would make. But that would not be ideal as I noted my squads of droids and squad of armoured Troopers with high mental resistance took up positions inside the shield bubble generated by the landers. It wasn't the ideal defensive position, but it was strong enough as the droidekas rolled into position and deployed themselves as I sat cross-legged and began to meditate.
Hardly the most battle hardened thing to do, but I was near enough to the invite spot and I'd rather they approach me, than stomping off into the foggy woods filled with monsters. Monsters, and ninja-witches who may or may not be enemies, and potentially many other things as I carefully mustered my strength for a potential battle, while also 'reaching out' in an invitation of sorts. Or, perhaps to be more accurate, answering an invitation with acceptance and a minor change of location...as I wasn't walking out into the mystery forest just yet. So I meditated, feeling out the ground around me, the world itself, and occasionally giving orders to my guards as the minutes ticked by, an hour, till I felt faint Force signatures, masked, approach.
"Sergeant, be on alert, but do not take aggressive action unless I order it"
"Captain-General, movement to our right in the tree-line"
"I see them Sergeant..." I replied with eyes closed within my helmet as I sat cross-legged and watched the power amidst the other, swiftly moving, sparkles of life "...as I said, be on guard but I do not want us to be the first to start a fight"
Sitting at the very edge of the shield allowed me to stay in place as pink-coloured, how very odd for the environment, ninjas jumped down from the trees with odd, feminine, yelps. Or maybe they were warcries, cultures varied, and the energy bow wielding ladies landed nearby, while others stayed back in the trees as best I could tell. Hard to say as the world dimmed, the senses muddled further out as a powerful sorceress approached, obscuring her fellows with each step nearer. For now though I merely focused on the familiar feel of the nearest one landing nearby.
"Hello Asajj, and how are you and your sisters on this night?"
"Mother Talzin wishes to speak to you"
"I gathered..." I replied opening my eyes and slowly moving to stand back up and look out at Ventress as she stood in similar garb to her fellow Nightsisters "...and here I am, ready to speak to her"
"Surrounded by machines and soldiers, behind a shield"
I smiled faintly at her irritated look, though she merely shook her head at it rather than feeling angered "Yes, one could put it forward as a sign of respect in fact..."
Then I bowed as nearby Ventress some green mist, flickering with power, roiled and swirled around, before forming into a tall Dathomiri woman, with painted face and fancy robes "Mother Talzin I presume?"
"Ah, the strange General one our dear returned Asajj has told me of..." the woman reeking of dark magic and death hummed back, arms together inside the robes "...and respectful too, surprising for a Sith. Yes, I am Mother Talzin, and you are General Stormcrow the, ah, Wrath of the Republic I have been told"
I sighed, shaking my helmeted head ever so faintly as the woman stood outside the shield "Ah, indeed I am General Stormcrow, though I am no Sith, merely a humble student of the Force and other such useful knowledge. As to the Wrath...well, the job pays well, and I do believe it is important to show certain enemies of the Republic the errors of their ways"
"Hmm...yes indeed a strange one you are, I suspect you not accept our hospitality for a time?"
"Perhaps, in time..." I replied politely as tense soldiers and ninjas watched each other warily "...as I am quite comfortable where I am currently, thank you very much. I think it would be best to get to know each other first, and see what matters would be mutually beneficial into the future first. The lovely Asajj, Karis, and Naa'leth had many interesting things to say about this world, and your wisdom, and...I believe we may have mutual foes that need dealing with"
A pause, that calm impassive face studying my helmet as I marshalled my power to conceal my emotions as she too was doing "Sidious"
I nodded politely, controlling the panic, the stress "I do believe so, a name I've heard, and have suspicions of, especially once other things were learned..."
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