On the fringes of the Outer Rim territories and famous for being the one-time location of the Rebel Alliance, Hoth is a frigid world marred with fissures created from the tidal pull of Hoth’s three moons. Blanketed in a frozen ocean, massive oceanic currents beneath the southern hemisphere are the cause of constant seismic activities that result in a constantly shifting landscape of tunnels and caves.

Buried into the side of a fissure reaching hundreds of meters into the core of the planet is a network of tunnels leading into a cave. Its sole entrance is suspended within the wall of the fissure, requiring one to rappel down the dangerous crevasse and into the tunnels; one small miscalculation could send explorers descending the rest of the unmeasured height deep within the planet’s core.

Insulated under several hundred meters of ice in all directions, the cave is protected against the gale force winds and the intense snowstorms that sweep along the planet’s surface. As a result, the cave is warmer than most of Hoth’s unforgiving cold with melting icicles dangling precariously overhead. In turn, this allows for more life to grow in addition to being a promising habitat for the hulking wampas that have been trapped this far below the surface. Beginning to thaw, it is obvious that this cave will eventually fall victim to seismic activity and disappear into the sheets of ice that surround it. Illuminating the cave’s interior with a dull blue glow, the luminous forms of lichen have taken up residence among the bones of the creatures unfortunate enough to be trapped here.

Caution must be exercised if one is to navigate the slippery slopes of the cave as melted icicles drip onto the cavern’s floor surface. In one corner of the cave, the ocean water has accumulated to form a large pool, providing sustenance to the rare lumni-spice growing within the crystalline complex, never to see the blue-white sun.

It is here that many choose to hide, the frozen wastes acting as a deterrent against most pursuers and tracking systems. Regardless, there are those that will press onward, no matter the cause.

Finding yourself on Hoth, either for shelter from pursuit or to claim a target yourself, you know the elements are just as big a threat to success. With that in mind, there are two enemies to manage. Nature holds no sympathy for your plight and outside the caves a thick storm is raging. No matter the outcome that is to follow, neither of you will be leaving any time soon.

Complete your task or succumb to the elements. Either way, it's a battle for survival.

[Venue Note: It is assumed that both members are wearing at least a cold-resistant cloak in this venue, even if not included on their Loadout. All other ACC rules and guidelines still applies.]

Having lived high up in mountains for the majority of the time since he had met Kooki, Andrelious had been hoping that he would have built up a little immunity to the cold. Within minutes of his arrival on Hoth, he was already realising that wasn’t the case.

The newly minted Ektrosis Aedile found himself on the ice planet after giving chase to a ship that matched one of the designs belonging to the Collective, the newest enemy of Taldryan and the Dark Brotherhood. When he had moved to engage his would-be prey, however, the ship escaped into hyperspace. Whilst Andrelious lacked anything other than the most basic navigational sense, he nonetheless pursued his target. When his ship was suddenly pulled from hyperspace, he was shocked to almost collide with the planet that had once housed the Rebel Alliance.

Once the Sith had found a suitable landing site for his ship, he checked his scanner and found several life form readings nearby. The Force helped him rule the majority out as non-sentient natives such as wampas, but one seemed to be actively attempting to flee. Andrelious immediately began to head in that direction, finding the icy terrain on Hoth a lot harder to navigate than he expected.

Eventually, the target led Mimosa-Inahj to a series of icy tunnels. His scanner still indicated multiple life forms nearby, but the Sith remained entirely focused on chasing the only one that was moving clearly away from him. He suspected that whoever he was after had their own scanner, and possibly even knew who he was, but the questions could wait. Right now, the only thing on the Aedile’s mind was actually finding his target.

The scanner indicated that Andrelious’ quarry had reached a dead-end. Smiling, the Human patted his lightsaber hilt.

I’ve got you now!

As he started to make his way towards his trapped pray, Mimosa-Inahj was caught off-guard by a bloodcurdling roar from a nearby tunnel. He checked his scanner again; another life-form was moving towards him fairly briskly. However, the approaching being seemed to lack any kind of presence in the Force.

Andrelious turned to face the tunnel that lead the way to the new arrival. He reached deep into the Force, focusing entirely on the passage in front of him. After a few moments of intense concentration, he found somebody trying very hard to hide themselves. The Sith didn’t feel the cold of a dark side user, nor the calming warmth of a Jedi. Whoever this was, they had their own ideas about how to wield the Force.

The Taldryanite decided at once that his Collective target could wait. Activating his lightsaber, he entered the tunnel, ready for a fight. He heard another loud roar of pain; whoever was here was slaughtering wampas.

The scanner beeped. The second Force sensitive was now around the next corner.

“You! Drop your weapon and show yourself at once!” Andrelious ordered loudly.

A large figure clad entirely in dark armour revealed itself. Andrelious could sense that the person inside was in some pain, but he could ascertain very little else. The lack of Force signature from his right arm gave away that it was prosthetic.

“I am not here for you, Sith,” the figure stated, the unmodulated voice revealing he was male.

“So you’re after the Collective agent too?” the Aedile questioned.

“I arrived in system just after you did. Your ship’s transponder identified you as a member of Clan Taldryan. Big ship considering you seem to be alone,” the figure responded. Andrelious guessed he was non-Human from the accent.

“You have to have a big ship when you have a family,” Andrelious explained. “So which Clan are you with? Only a member of the Brotherhood would know a Taldryan IFF,”

“Are we going to find this Collective agent, or are we going to stand here and talk? Give me a reason to trust you and I’ll consider telling you about myself,” the alien answered.

“Aha! Not one, but TWO Brotherhood members! Oligard will surely reward me for this!” a third voice declared.

“Guess we don’t need to find her!” Andrelious observed.

The Collective agent was a purple skinned Twi’lek female of about average height and build. As with her compatriots, parts of her body had been replaced with cybernetics. She was carrying a pair of blaster pistols, but Andrelious suspected those weren’t her only weapons.

“I’d suggest you keep ideas like that quiet, Miss. My esteemed colleagues and I have the Force. And those little blasters of yours are no match for our lightsabers,” Mimosa-Inahj hissed.

“You may be right there. How about I even the odds a little?” the Twi’lek teased, winking as she blew into a small whistle worn around her neck. The whistle didn’t make a sound, but moments later, a wampa came charging into the tunnel.

“I think I fancy my chances now,” the Collective agent added.

Andrelious and his mysterious new ally glanced at each other as they wielded lightsabers.

Things had become very interesting.

Andrelious’ boots carried him forward as the crimson-red blade of his lightsaber erupted from the emitter fixed to the end of the weapon and lunged for the Technocratic combatant, her hands drawing twin pistols from the holsters at her hips. The large white Wampa by her side let out a terrifying loud roar that rang throughout the icy cave, icicles rattling as it stomped past her to engage the two Force-sensitives. The furred creature quickly closed in on the Taldryanite, left arm coming across in a wide-arc towards the robed man.

Mimosa-Inahj extended his legs and lowered his body into a slide, deftly avoiding the large swinging arm as his figure passed harmlessly underneath. The Aedile’s body came back up a few feet later and focus returned to the Twi’leki, her blasters leveled at the human and fingers on their triggers. Two red bolts of superheated plasma erupted from both of the weapons in rapid succession, but as the crimson energy blade came across horizontally and then vertically in a series of aggressive swings all incoming fire had been batted away and the father of three almost within range of The Collective scum.

The enraged Wampa had chosen to ignore the Taldryanite and continue onward to the dark armored form in front of him, another vile roar escaping it’s fanged mouth. Varuk thumbed the two-piece red and black activation switch of his obsidian lightsaber, compressing the button as the Wampa approached. An acid-yellow blade of energy sprang forth from the hilt with a snap-hiss, it’s wielder taking a step towards the creature as the large right arm came lunging at him from above.

“Hnn!” exclaimed the Sentinel as his body was carried two steps to the right, the Wampa’s clawed hand crashing into the snowy floor where the Sadowan had once been. Kru brought his his blade back, before the acid-yellow energy cut swiftly and precisely through the furred beast’s forearm just below the elbow. The Wampa bellowed in pain as Kru’s lightsaber motion continued, spinning and coming back around to slice at the white furred stomach. Flesh burned and separated at the beast’s abdomen, the remaining attached hand reaching to hold the gaping wound momentarily.

The smell of burnt wampa flesh was not pleasant, especially in the stale air of the cave, but there were more pressing things to worry about. Varuk still had a dangerous, albeit wounded beast to deal with, whilst Andrelious suspected that his Twi’lek target was not going to surrender easily.

“Summoning a dumb beast to do your fighting for you? Not a good tactic,” Mimosa-Inahj commented, wasting no time in approaching the alien.

“Don’t think I’m some slip of a girl who can’t hold your kind off. I’m quite happy to do my own dirty work,” the Twi’lek responded, stepping away from the incoming Sith.

A blood curling roar echoed throughout the chamber. Both Andrelious and the Twi’lek turned to see that Varuk had finished off the Wampa.

“Are you going to surrender now?” the masked man questioned.

“We’re not offering her the chance to surrender. Collective operatives are too slippery. We execute her and be done with it,” Andrelious responded without taking his eyes off the Twi’lek.

“Typical Sith. Always about the kill,” Kru snapped.

The Twi’lek made the most of the brief argument. She somersaulted past Andrelious, firing one of her blasters at each Force user. Both swatted the attack away with their lightsabers, but the female, having figured out she was faster than both of her attackers, kept on moving, preventing either Andrelious or Varuk from closing in. Lightsaber blades swung through the air, but the purple skinned woman was simply too agile.

“Avoid this, you cyborg freak!” Mimosa-Inahj roared, lightning spewing from his fingers. The Twi’lek dodged the attack with apparent ease, but, to her horror, she moved straight into the range of Kru’s lightsaber. She raised her blasters, closed her eyes, and squeezed the triggers, hearing the sound of her weapons firing.

Seconds later, the Twi’lek’s head hit the ground, its connection to the body severed. Varuk allowed himself a brief smirk under his helmet.

“Looks like I saved both our hides. Is that good enough to get out of here without any further fighting? I’ll even forgive your disgusting comment about cybernetics,” he stated, offering a gloved hand to Andrelious.

“The way I see it, my target is eliminated. Leave now before I decide I have a quarrel with you,” the Sith responded, quickly shaking Varuk’s hand.

“You will find a quarrel with me, Sith. That is all your kind know,” the Umbaran answered.

Andrelious backed away, keeping his lightsaber active. “I may be a Sith, but I promise you one thing. Next time we meet, you will be dealt with. For now, you can head back to whatever Clan you represent,” he declared, before slipping away down a passage.

Varuk Kru sighed. To him, the Collective’s aims were reasonable. To have killed one of their agents while allowing a Force sensitive to live was not a success, but the situation hadn’t given him a chance to do much else. He’d already begun to lose Andrelious among the native life forms that dominated the caves.

Next time, he vowed to himself, he wouldn’t be so concerned about self preservation.

He would kill Andrelious instead.