Sacrifice
Locations
Auriga
Alzeera
Endor
Vyjand Worldship
Factions
Vigil Compact (Republic)
Vyjand
Players
Tia O'Mandalorio (Laurie)
Sabbath Rune (Jack)
Syatt Walker (Scott)
Sola (Rob)
Antwoord (Phil)
NPCs
Lt. Lee Meriweather
Libra
Cpt. Assyria Cromwell
Dr. Connor Mathison
Short Public Excerpt/Summary
After a devastating battle over Endor, the remaining Vigil forces make a desperate last attack to destroy the Vyjand Worldship. A team, largely made up by the Vanguard, agree to stay aboard the Alzeera in a suicide mission, crashing it into the Worldship. In the resulting explosion, the enemy is defeated. But the cost of that victory is terribly high.
Lee watches the scene in the hangar from the cockpit of the Auriga, Sola is strapped into the pilot's chair performing pre-flight. She's pacing like an animal, glancing back at the lounge where the Doctor and friends are strapping in. Outside Libra and BX units are preparing the flight deck and evacuating other personnel. She sees a group of Guardians recruits volunteer and report to a Libra on deck. They start struggling with a suit of Exo armor. Finally, she comes to a decision. She looks at her friends. "How could I leave? I stand where they stand." She whips around and hugs Tia tightly, directly into her ear she whispers "Πεθαίνουμε, για να ζήσεις, αγαπημένη αδελφή" then runs down the ramp and into the hangar bay. She orders the Recruits away from the Exo_suit and back to the Auriga. They run aboard as she dons the Exo Suit. The Auriga pulls away from the deck and leaves the Alzeera behind. Tia watches in horror as Lee leaves. "Lee, what the hell do you think you're doing? You can't come back!" Sola says as they're prepping to leave. "Look this isn't exactly my first choice either, I don't like leaving unfinished business and this is now the second time that has happened to me in this bloody system." Sola continues to get everything ready to bug out. "But you have to do what you have to do. Sometimes that's what the mission requires."
The Alzeera plunges into the side of the worldship stabbing it like some short dull blade, tearing through Coral Armor and crushing several decks. Deep within Engineering, the Libra hastily try to reconfigure the massive engines and reactors to their deadly goal. Vyjand warriors stream through breaches in the hull, homing in on the power sources. All the defenders are swept up into a grand melee in the corridors as Droid blasters, Force Powers, Sabers, and fists make them pay for every inch they gain. One by one the defenders fall, with the last making their stand within the entrance to the Reactor. Seven Vanguard and one Soldier remain. The soldier, much the worse for wear, with one cyber arm shredded and useless and sporting vast rents in her exosuit and a horrible bleeding gash on her face. The Vanguard all sporting wounds as grievous, their exhaustion apparent. When the last standing Libra speaks "Countdown: 20 seconds." Lee speaks before the rest "Bless the Lady and all Her Works, Bless the Coming and going of her. May her passage cleanse the galaxy, And make safe the way for her people."
Sabbath still had strength to weep, despite the horrific fight that bought them this terrifying victory. He looked at Lee as she recited her prayer, at the last, still trying to give comfort to those about to die. This was wrong. She was the best of all of them. She chose to stay and die so that others could live. Sabbath sniffled at his tears, angry that the Force did not touch her, could not save her. If he could give her…. He gasped in the grip of an impossible inspiration.
As Lee finished her portion of the prayer, Assyria continued. Sabbath rushed to stand before Lee.
"There is no Darkness, there is death," Assyria recited.
He removed the Abbatar that rested on his chest and placed it around Lee’s neck before she could even guess at what he was doing.
"There is no Light, there is life."
Sabbath reached out to the Force and begged it to touch her. The Force answered him with power, but not will. The Will was his. And his Will was stopped by an iron wall of resolve.
"... please, Lee. Let it happen…," Sabbath pleaded in a whisper, his mind trying to touch hers, his soul begging her to listen.
Lee looked at Sabbath with eyes he knew were not her own, the lenses spinning behind the emerald shell. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, he never could, whatever her training or implants, they were untouchable.
"Life begets death, Death begets life."
He beseeched the Force to use its Influence, to touch her mind, to touch the small focus around her neck.
She stood unmoving, seemingly oblivious to the shattered arm and bleeding tear through her face. What was that look? Was it pity? Was it pain? Why did she have to do this?
"... please, let it touch you…," he let his tears fall as he looked into her eyes. "... please come back to us…”
"Between, there is the Force."
Sabbath pulled her into his embrace, as if the deeper contact might give him greater hope. As if in holding her, begging the Force, when it found him it might find her, too.
He could feel, for the first time the sheer volume of armor beneath her skin. Hear the grinding of torn servos from the massive network of implants. Smell the burnt polymer of the wounded arm. He wondered how she could feel any pain at all when so much of herself was gone like that.
"By my will, I will master it."
"... please, Lee. Hold onto me…," he could barely speak through his sobs. "... please… she loves you…”
"I am free because I will it," Assyria concluded.
Sabbath reached out to the Force, to the future, looking for hope, demanding the Force give him an answer.
As the flash of the reactor loomed behind her, he could just make out her mouth the words "I'm so.."
But, the only sound was that of white hot thunder.
A New Star Blooms in the Endor System, consuming the enemy world ship, as the remains of Task Force Alzeera depart to reunite with the fleet. Tia stares in shock and horror at the devastation, tears running down her face.
Some time later, Tia reaches into her pocket as she sits down into the flight chair for the ride. She fumbles on some object she didn't expect to be in there. She withdraws a set of dog tags, with a security key marked "Vondell", on the tags is a simple golden amulet that she's seen a dozen times before. Tia runs a finger over the amulet as she looks at it, and a few more tears fall. She eyes the security key for a long moment, and distantly wonders if she'll ever see Lee's speeder again. After a pause, she puts the amulet on, slipping it under her shirt. "Damn it, Lee," she says, her voice breaking. She slams her fist against the wall of the ship. "You didn't have to go back." She hides her face in her hands and stays that way for a long time.
Eventually, Tia slowly rises to her feet, seeking out Dr. Mathison. Lee’s final words to her are engraved in her memory, though she does not know what they mean. “Pethaínoume, gia na zíseis, Agapiméni Adelfi.” When she asks, she is given the translation. "We Die, so that you may Live. My Beloved. My Sister." Tia bites her lip. "Thank you, doc," she says softly. He mentions, "That's the oath of the Vanguard." Tia pauses, looking back at him. The doctor seems to be in shock, bumping into things as he walks around the ship, unseeing. Tia turns before he can see her tears fall, quietly leaving the room.
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