Wrath of Zhan

Wrath of Zhan

Information

Conflict: Attempted Takeover by the Scions of Cocytus

Date: 38 ABY

Commanders
Xen'Mordin Vismorsus Evant Taelyan Koryn Thraagus Kell Dante	Fias Zhan Bernard Leo Lady Il-Kayd Kelac Lasha
Strength
Dark Jedi of Scholae Palatinae Palatinaean Military Praetorian Guard
Casualties
None	Fias Zhan Bernard Leo Lady Il-Kayd Kelac Lasha

[ Source ]

The Wrath of Zhan was a Scholae Palatinae campaign that took place in 38 ABY following multiple incursions with the want to be Emperor, Fias Zhan, and his Scions of Cocytus. Conflicts on Ptolomea, Antenora, and Caina had left Scholae Palatinae on high alert for this terrorist organization to strike. What Scholae Palatinae never imagined was a direct assault on the main palace of the Empire in Ohmen, Judecca.

Prelude

"If it is the last thing I do, I will see that man die, no matter the cost."

―Emperor Xen’Mordin Vismorsus.

Fias Zhan had made his intentions quite clear, through several bold direct messages with the Emperor. There was no doubting his conviction that he believed he was the true heir to Palpatine’s legacy. Xen’Mordin, knowing Zhan was close to attempting a coup, ordered a blockade of Judecca, and for all members of Scholae Palatinae to patrol the city of Ohmen for when that coup came.

In orbit Evant Taelyan and Koryn Thraagus were overseeing the blockade, as well as the suppression of chatter throughout the system. The Scions stuck at once from both in space, and from within Ohmen itself. Suicide freighters were used to pull attention from the landing Scion ships. In the city, a series of timed explosions were detonated. Xantros and Kor Vaal managed to stop one suicide bomber, only to find that the palace had already been hit.

Using a large freighter, Zhan crashed through the main entrance of the Palace. Within seconds, his forces were pouring out and into the palace. Xen and the Praetorian Guard were overwhelmed and retreated to the secure Brotherhood only lower levels. In the city, various members of Scholae Palatinae fought their way through Scion forces, including hulked out berserkers. They met up with a singular focus, retake the palace. At this time the Scions began using a chemical fear toxin to help hinder the Scholae Palatinae Forces.

The Operations

"At long last, Palpatine’s true heir sits on a throne. The throne. My throne."

―Fias Zhan, following capture of the main levels of the Palace

With Xen’Mordin locked in the sublevels of the Palace, it was in the hands of the Scholae Palatinae members to push back the Scions, recapture the palace and kill Zhan. Only with his death would the Scions be fractured enough to disperse from the system.

This Nightmare Pumping in my Veins

"Get out of my head!"

―Evant Taelyan after being infected by the fear toxin

The fear toxin was a known possible chemical to be used by the Scions. Data on it had been found earlier on Caina as the house’s forces moved through securing the Scion’s used science labs. What little data was recovered was taken to Judecca, and left in the hands of Doctor Elincia Rei, to find a counter-toxin.

After making their way from the fight in space to the surface of Judecca, Evant Taelyan and Koryn Thraagus found chaos in the capital city. Unaware of the already deployed fear toxin, they headed in to find his comrades. Splitting up to cover more ground, Evant found himself infected, falling into a realm of insanity and visions. Attempting to partition off parts of his mind to maintain control, making his way closer to the palace. In between moments of insanity, Evant realized a truth, that fear is a powerful weapon, and one that should be turned against the enemy. He would use that truth to drive him towards protecting the Empire, and unknowingly forcing Scholae Palatinae to push the offensive on the Imperial Palace earlier than planned. Not receiving the anti-toxin until just before the final push from Archangel.

Acts of Violence

"Leave no one alive, unless it serves your goals"

―Xantros

Separated from his fellow Palatinaeans in the chaose, Xantros made his way through the streets of Ohmen. He came across one of the many Scion outposts that had been hastily crafted in the first minutes of their assault of the city. Several Scions, including a berserker patrolled the building. Finding an alternate path would involve backtracking and being found by Scion patrols. Knowing this was his best chance forward, Xantros went to work. As a sneak Krath, Xantros had spent great deals of time studying the relation between the force and the mind. Changing the perception of friend and foe in the much lower intelligence berserker, Xantros was able to see the Scions tear themselves apart before moving on to find his housemates.

Snapshots of War

"This is where we draw the line. We will not be pushed back any further"

―Kell Palpatine Dante

The Scholae Palatinae forces finally began to gather at a plaza in the center of the commercial district of Ohmen. It provided a key strategic location due to the centralized nature as well as the open design of the plaza which avoided the fear toxins and gave clear line of sight on all incoming enemy forces and the Imperial Palace above.

A defensive perimeter was quickly formed around a small covered command center that would quickly become a temporary home for the strategic minds of Scholae Palatiane. While the Imperial Scholae Guard and Dark Jedi held off the attacking forces, Kell Palpatine Dante took command of the entire operation and began to put together a plan.

Only one man would DARE give me the raspberry

"I’ve figured it out!"

―Delak Krennel

Meanwhile, encoded messages in the subchannels were quickly discovered. Scholae Palatinae’s available intelligence resources in their newly established command center jumped in trying to decipher them. Delak Krennal, occupying his time while he waited for a plan to manifest itself, was the one who found the key, and cracked open all Scion communications. It was an accomplishment that let Scholae Palatinae listen in on the Scions and react accordingly and formulate a plan much more quickly.

The Ruined Palace

"They aren’t as secure as they think they are"

―Ric “Blade” Hunter

From their location they had a clear view of the Imperial Palace. They could see where the Scions had created a new entrance, and damage was extensive. The Scion’s bold entrance required had received quick patch works to prevent the Palatinaeans from retaking the palace.

Ric “Blade” Hunter was one of the first house members to take in the damage to the palace and collect information for the developing plans. His quickly, but carefully gathered intel on what the Scions had done in taking the palace, and put in place to defend it. This intel was then correlated with the decoded Scion messages to prepare a better suited attack plan knowing how to strike.

Fffffffuuuuuuuuuuuu Zhan

"Zagro, Fuel tank. I gotta plan!"

―Chrome

Taking rear guard duty, Chrome, Lucyeth, Zagro, and Delak found themselves facing a dozen berserkers attempting to take the Palatinaeans by surprise. Lucyeth wasted no time in jumping into combat, removing the arms of a berserker. Not feeling any pain, the berserker continued to press forward. Delak lept into combat next to Lucyeth, the two using their blades to hack at the berserkers. Chrome, noticing a near by fuel tank pointed them out to Zagro, who using the force flung them at the berserkers. With a well placed shot from his blaster, Chrome hit the tank showering the berserkers in fire. Lucyeth and Delak quickly feel back to avoid the spray of flaming fuel. While the berserkers, seemingly to ignore the fire continued to advance, they quickly succumbed and died, leaving behind smoldering corpses.

I’ve blank it with these blanks in my blank-ing Empire

"I’ve got the cure!"

―Elincia Rei

The creeping gas of the fear toxin was pouring throughout Ohmen. The Palatinaeans knew Elincia Rei was outside the city working on a cure. Zagro, Ulfsark, and Cruise volunteered to make a run to her lab to hurry up delivery of the anti-toxin. With no military soldiers to spare for support the three had to move quickly, and quietly if they were going to be able to bring the cure. Without the cure, not a single Palatinaean member or soldier would be able to make it to the palace without succumbing to the fear toxin. The final push could only begin after enough of them had taken the anti-toxin.

Together we Stand; United we Fall

"We need to fight smart if we are going to survive."

―Zagro Fenn

Before the Scholae Palatinae forces could move on the palace, they needed to fully understand the enemy they were fighting. With the decrypted data, and intel on the palace fortifications, the members of Scholae Palatinae moved to work their way through the city and towards the palace itself.

Sidelined by Scion forces in the city, as well as the fear toxin being pumped throughout the city, their path to the palace was a difficult one. Early objectives of killing Zhan’s three top lieutenants were abandoned, as Zhan called them back to his side.

A small team broke off from making the main assault and made an effort to shut down power going to the palace. Dodging berserkers and Scion forces, they were successful in the attempt, allowing for the eventual assault into the palace without many of the palace’s defenses in play.

Assault the Palace

"This plan is so stupid, it might work."

―Archangel

With the gathered intelligence, and inoculated against the fear toxin, Dante, Koryn, and Archangel put together the final pieces of the plan to recapture the palace. The plan was multi-phased. Normal Military would flank both the left and right sides of the palace, while the main force went straight in through the freighter. They were going to turn the Scions’ plans against them. With the weight of years of experience between the three, they knew this plan would work. Of course, it would be thrown to the wind, as a scout reported a lone soldier making his way to the palace gates.

Ode to an Imperial Hero

"The final conflict’s victor would need power gain from their underlings"

―Dante

Success in defeating the Scions rested firmly on the shoulders of the Scholae Palatinae members and military. When the war was done, the dead would be remembered as heroes who gave their lives in service to the empire. The events of the Wrath of Zhan were never to be forgotten, but remembered forever in the hearts of the Empire.

Aftermath

"It looks like you were wrong about Palpatine being on your side."

―Xen’Mordin before killing Fias Zhan

Evant, still recovering from the fear toxin arrived first on the palace grounds. His nearby housemates, saw him walk straight up to a group of Scions, triggering their advance into the palace. Tackled out of the way by Landon Cruise, the Palatinaeans came to the aid of their Aedile. A quick shoulder rocket launch by Delak Krennel and they had a way back into the palace.

All Scions in the Palace converged on the entrance hall and throne room. Noise from the battle, led to Xen’Mordin deactivating the sublevels lockdown, letting him join his housemates floors above.

In the main entrance hall, the Palatinaeans met Ladi Il-Kayd and Bernard Leo, alongside the bulk of the remaining Scion forces. Evant led the charge and began a lightsaber duel with Lady Il-Kayd. Before the duel could begin, Lady Il-Kayd was killed mid sentence by a long range rifle shot by Dante.

In the back of the room, Bernard Leo, let loose a tremendous amount of Dark side energy. large sections of his body and flesh was ripped apart, revealing the extent of his personal body modification. With heavy duty cybernetic enhancements, Bernard turned a near by pillar to dust. Before he could take out many of the soldiers, Delak Krennel fell from the ceiling of the entrance hall. He drove his red lightsaber straight through the head of the deranged scientist.

The Palatinaeans made their way into the throne room. From behind the Throne, Xen’Mordin appeared and began to duel Fias Zhan. Evant, one of the first ones in the throne room, made a mad rush on Kelac Lasha, hoping to remove the only remaining Scion Lieutenant.

As they wrestled, trying to get in position to kill each other, Xen sent a piece of the destroyed ceiling at the back of Kelac’s head before returning his attention to the duel. Struck in the back of the head, Kelac was temporarily disoriented, allowing Evant enough time to slice the man’s head off.

Zagro Fenn ran into the room with a shoulder rocket, and fired it directly at Xen and Zhan. Xen dove out of the way just in time. The rocket missed both men, and struck the wall behind them. More of the ceiling fell to the ground. Xen rolled as fast as he could out of the way, as Zhan was struck by the ruble.

Pinned down by the rocks, legs broken and covered, Zhan made several feeble attempts to pull himself free. Xen, dusted himself off and picked up a piece of the duracrete. Holding it in his hand, he smashed Zhan’s face in until the man’s head was pulp.

The Scions were defeated, and order was restored to the Empire. While it would be a long road to recovery and rebuilding in the city, the Palatinaeans and the military were lauded as as great heros by the civilians.