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Ruin looked at the entrance ramp as the others made it back onboard. Or rather, one made it back onboard. “Jedi…where the Jedi? ” Ruin growled out, his power core obviously near empty capacity. “He’s on his way ” Fera tried to calm the Terror droid, grabbing a few wires that connected from the ship’s own running power core and attempting to run them up Ruin’s side to an open panel. “But we need to get you back up and running. It would be unwise for you…” “Gah! Jedi hurt!” Ruin exclaimed, shoving Fera away violently like a child refusing to eat a green vegetable. “Got to save! Got to help! Kill Sith good! Save Jedi better! Rip, tear, maim! Save and scare! Save and scare!" Ruin was back on his feet and in a mad dash towards the ramp. Shoving aside the Mon Cal Jedi and the pilot if they got in the way, Ruin drew his own blade again and activated it. The vibrations of it whirred to life. Each thump of Ruin’s feet sounded like thunder beating on a drum. “Ruin, the jedi can…” Fera blared loudly, trying and failing to keep up with the droid. “Kill the Sith! Boots-down and Hell-bound! Guts and guns!” Ruin shouted again, leaping into the fray once more. The open area near the ship provided Ruin with the room he needed to get a powerful force of momentum behind him. Within seconds he disappeared into a horde of plant monsters, swinging and charging with each step. Even when a monster got in the way, Ruin's own momentum made stopping impossible for the droid. “Got to find! Got to kill! Gah, kill kill kill! Save save save! Pain! Give them pain!” Even as the power in Ruin drained at a rapid rate, each motor went into overdrive. The wet mud that had almost dried off between Ruin’s joints literally began to boil away in a hiss of steam. The plant’s guts that splattered over his chest slid off in a roiling heat. While the Neimodian programmers who helped designed the B4-Terror droid tried to keep the programming simple yet effective, one thing the Techno Union insisted on was the Berzerker Protocal. Most means of self preservation on battle droids enabled them to last multiple battles. Even the bare minimum made sure that many battle droids would attempt to make sure their remains could be re-utilized for future battles, and only the orders of a superior could bypass these. The Berzerker protocol get rid of all methods of self-preservation, and with Terror droids, was meant to make them reckless at best, and downright kamikaze at worst. Ruin’s Berzerker Protocol had just been activated. Fera gave a sigh, and stood by ready with the wires for if, not when, Ruin would return. “Out of way, out of way, got to save, gotta save, save save save, kill kill kill, kill all of you kill all of you kill kill kill” Ruin ranted endlessly as he slashed and bashed over and over until the Jedi’s body was in sight. “Raaaah! Pain train, save train, choo choo I’m the train!” Ruin declared. Ruin dissected the monsters nearby trying to his targert, and then, after sheathing his weapon, scooped the Jedi up as best as he could. Several of the monsters jumped on the droid, trying to stop their prize from being stolen. With hands full, Ruin could only try to shake them off and move forward and spin, using the things on his back as a weapon. “Raaaah! Out of the way, out of the way, out out out outoutoutout!” Ruin’s speech became more sloppy and difficult to understand. Each step faltered more and more. The motors were nearing the verge of giving out. Five more meters ahead. Seven more monsters. “NokillIkillnostoptheyoutsavejediraaaaaaghgh!” Ruin stumbled forward. Three of the things were on his back, pushing him down. His programming refused to stop, but his battery was dying. Several more steps. Another monster on the back. He was almost kneeling now, moving at a crawl with the weight of six things on top. “Killthemallkillthemalldon’tstoptillallSithdeadlikeCorescantkillthemkillthemkillthemall!!!” Ruin shouted, still moving one foot at a time towards the ramp, where Fera could only watch from, unable to help in any way

I stood guard at the ramp, watching as my employer and the droids got onboard, only for the big droid to tear back out, hoist up the fallen Knight like a sack of parts, and come crashing back through the crowd of monsters as if he was the personification of a speeder demo race. I had to smile. There was just something wholesome about someone who was passionate about their work. Then I realized he was slowing down. His speech was turning warped. Something was wrong, this wasn't just passion for the fight like before... "Ah kriff!" The thing's battery was draining! And the creatures were piling on, as if they could sense that their chance at us was slipping away. I instinctively took a step forward, but years of starhopping in the roughest parts of the galaxy had ingrained an instinctual grasp of when a situation called for hitting, and when it called for an alternative approach, and the sheer weight of bodies piling on told me that trying to punch out of this was a losing battleplan. Then I had a thought, not from my combat training or tactical experience, but as a mechanic looking at a failing machine. I stepped back up the ramp, ripped open one of the utility footlockers, and drew out a long, thick industrial cable with one of those universal connectors on the end...or at least it had been universal when this ship had been built way back in the Clone Wars. I doubt it would fit in any Imperial hardware. Fortunately, that droid out there wasn't Imperial hardware. It was a relic, just like The Crate. I tore off a maintenance panel near the top of the ramp, socketed one end of the cable directly into a power conduit, and sprinted out into the rain. The droid was nearly covered with the creatures. I leapt up and swept my leg in a lateral kick that any echani adept would have been proud of and knocked two of them off. I then jammed the other end of the now live cable into the droid's primary input port, connecting him directly to the ship's generator. "Get a move on! I'm right behind you!"

From the center of the cleared land, Leena slowly stood as the ramp behind her shuddered and lowered to the ground. The droids, cut a swath through the chaos, bursting into sight like an angry alien spawn clawing through the chest of it’s host. They tumbled aboard behind Zeris as she too clamored to safety in the one headless plant-child field. The rain continued to fall from the sky. It was bot a gentle rain, but every minute seemed to double in intensity. Falling in sheets, visibility quickly reduced to feet. Turning, Leena squinting against the onslaught, before making a mad dash for the white glow of the ship’s interior lighting as it glowed against the darkness, illuminating the rain in it’s warmth. As the thunder rolled overhead and the lightning danced across the distance sky, the darkness howled on the growing winds. It’s presence was strong, as natural as the power of the destructive power of the storm. It was twisted and starving for more, just lime the beasts that glistened beneath the droves of beating rain. As a particularly loud, earth-shaking pulse of thunder rocked the scene and a bolt of lightning struck the ground sending plumes of headless seedling children flying through the air in flaming gouts, the darkness shine through the fog of combat. To those that were looking, a dark presence, a natural and foreign being that survived against all odds, taking the dark and making it it’s own seemed to materialized in the storm clouds above for a passing moment. The face of a female, beautiful and terrifying in it’s raw hunger. These countless vine-men were but immature children, bore by her womb for one purpose, to feed their dark mistress with no sense of self preservation. And then it was gone, the iron grip of a Sith Lord’s forgotten font of power erasing the ethereal vision and the shimmering connections. An ancient structure that oozed power, contained within long cooled forges that would spew forth ancient powers and forbidden magics to whoever possessed the power to overcome it. The storm tapped it’s power, feeding upon it as it was fueled by the unknown and ravaged the windswept hills of the world. Unnatural as it was powerful. Whoever and whatever was in it’s grasp, man, beast, or machine, would not be let go without a fight. Flight would not be a viable option in the night. Making it to the ramp, Leena scrambled upwards, slipping in the downpour of rain. Her soaked clothes slapped against the ramp as she fell. Scrambling of all fours, Leena rolled into the ship. Bits of water flecked inwards out of the downpour. Outside, the beasts began to close on the ship again, having been repulsed for but a few moments. Even in the downpour, some flaming headless ape-plants advanced like hell-escaped demon spawns seeking their prey.

Amidst the chaos of the moment, there was silence encompassing all. Only the steady heart beating within his chest echoed within his mind as the momentum of clarity took hold of Lok's mind within the current of combat that encircled this sea of battle. Blood, rain, mud, air mixed within this singular realm of existence as life and death came to its peak of fruition. And these warriors rang tried and true against those who sought to claim them. For Lok, it was reaction to their actions. Mimicry of the masses. Death sought to claim all and all sought to claim life. For the inhabitants, it was life through death. For the group of aliens that stood to be nutrition, it was survival by taking life. And none truly held a semblance of darker natures. Only the natural order of life. But what was the root of this conflict? What drove the hunger and bloodlust of the inhabitants? As a warrior, Lok sought to clarify this distinction within his own riddled mind. Against a horde that acted in tandem, surely one stood above the rest. Cut the head off and the body will be helpless. His gaze shifted about the battlefield, his keen sight following the Force to discern the abnormal as he arced his blade toward the sky and sidestepped the falling form, cauterized limbs steaming as the slid apart. Stepping forward into his next opponent, Lok's mind expanded. Echoes of intent and hunger flowed like sea breeze across the cliffs that stood as testaments of their conjoined thoughts, the sea below the depth of their singular mind. Lok was a ship upon the currents of the storm, flowing across it's surface in search of the beacon that guided all. As another fell to his blade, sweat beaded down his furrowed brow as he submerged himself into their depths and sought to find refuge within the calm of their chaos, and yet, it was too dark to truly see within the murk that led their onslaught. Focus would be the key and serenity would calm the storm. But could two beacons weather? Or would one falter to guide? Whatever beacon guided the horde had long blinded the ability to see beyond, the minds fogged against the setting. Only the emotion and hunger came across clearly. It could felt, smelled, and tasted. But it was blind as well as deaf, it's purpose hidden for all intents and purposes. Lok delved even deeper, honing his focus as he rode among the waves of emotion and bloodlust, guiding his mind's eye toward the veil that blanketed sight, a lighthouse attempting to slice through the fog that blinded the shore. But not unlike Mon Cal, the darkness that hid it's presence from him felt ancient and powerful. And as soon as he managed to pierce the blanketed veil, it lashed out. Lok faltered backwards as Leena's voice beckoned him through the Force, but it was too late. His mind fought to remain unfractured as the onslaught of the hives minds threatened to break his own and overtake him. Grasping at his head in unbelievable pain, he reeled backwards toward the ship and away from combat as the others began their retreat. But the darkness had grasped his mind too tightly, and after the moment of clarity that it revealed, Lok fell to his knees near the ship's ramp before falling unconscious. Face down in the mud, the Imperial Knight was defenseless.

“Bwahaha! Burns and blasts now!” Ruin roared with laughter as a wave of enemies flew at and above him. One of the Jedi had let loose their abilities with the Force. “Old times! Good times! Blasts and burns and blasters! Oooh, I missed this! Miss so much. Boom!” Ruin shouted as he swung widely again with his makeshift flaming club. The entity that Ruin held by the legs had died long ago, but still sputtered a little bit of burning Worm-Spit with each blow. But where early it was a stream, now the worm spit was that: spit. Worse, Ruin was slowing down. “Gah, gotta bash and crash! No fire, no good! Man, need ammo! And gun! Grah, no gun!” Ruin fumed outloud. Eventually, the droid threw the body into a bunch of other plant-beings, clearing enough space for him to run and land on. “Can’t lose this! Nu-uh! Too good, burns and brains.” Ruin commented, pulling out the grenade from the corpse. Despite being in an oven for so long, the grenade looked perfectly fine, minus some soot and ash. “Ruin, it appears that we need to get to the ship” Came a whirring of beepings and laughters. Ruin glanced down, and saw Fera beginning to climb his leg. "Are...are you ok?" “Rah, drainings and dumpings.” Ruin growled as Fera positioned herself. The two gave a glance over the monsters surrounding them. They were giving the droids a wide berth, recognising that the two needed to be taken a bit more seriously. “I see. Low battery. Understood.” Fera commented and scanned the area. “Calculating fastest route to the ship’s on ramp. Uploading route to your HUD. That should help you stay focused. “ A beep came from Ruin’s head, who proceeded to give himself a slight whack. “Gah, brains and bashings. Readings and writings.” One of the plants leapt forward at Ruin’s back. Fera gave a whistle in warning. The larger droid perked up and spun around, dealing the thing a blow to whatever head like thing it had, stopping it and forcing it to the ground. Ruin pulled back his own hand and shook it. "Grr, got to upgrade.” Ruin looked down at his own hand then the other creatures who still circled, seeking an opening. “Eh, slash and dash it is you sons of stumps!” Ruin called out, and pulled the blade from his back. The first few creatures that struck were sliced through barely. Ruin’s batteries were running lower and lower with each swing. Thankfully after the third slice, Fera commented about the vibro blade being on instead of off. “Haha! Gas and guts! Slash and dash!” Ruin exclaimed. “Blade came from an Abyssian! And this is Byss! Haha! Now ship we go! Go go go!” The next thing anyone knew, Ruin was charging through monster after monster, slashing through and through, finally crashing upward the ramp into the ship, and then frantically crawling up. “Batteries and batterings. Charges and…and gah...need sleep. But kill Sith too. Sleep and Sith. Grrr...” Ruin commented, positioning himself into a sit against the nearest wall. Hopefully someone else could close the ship up without him.