The Islands Outpost is currently under Imperial control, but it's highly contested; the Republic is trying to regain control of the trams. The battle's been a long and bloody stalemate. Skar was supposed to tip the balance in the Empire's favor, but since he hasn't, it's up to Occlus and her alliance.

Their plan is thus: they will draw the 115th and the Republic into a major battle at this strategic location via subterfuge that is in the same vein as Kallous's location - the Republic will be under the impression that they're weakening the Islands Outpost by attacking Kallous. Occlus and several squads of Imperial troops will be sneaking in via the Republic dropships in the chaos. Then, the dropships will drop Occlus and the troops at one of the Republic's flanks, where the troops will join the 115th in battle and Occlus will get to the outpost itself to handle Skar. The Republic will be the biggest problem Occlus will face before Skar himself: Imperials are smart enough to run at the sight of an angry sith, and will follow whatever orders she gives them, so they shouldn't give her much trouble. Skar will be forced into a corner - he will either have to obviously hurt the war effort by ordering Imperial troops to attack a sith lord, or will have nothing between him and Occlus. Moff Pyron requests that when Skar chooses to be selfish, Occlus tries to minimize casualties. Then, after Occlus has killed Skar, she'll be needed there to keep the troops organized until one of Pyron's commanders can be safely transported to the outpost.

Meanwhile, this is how they will be leaking Kallous's location, and this is the transportation they're setting up to get Occlus to Thanaton's location if she extracts it from Skar quickly enough. It will be busy during the beginning of the battle to defend the Islands Outpost, but will be kept mostly out of harm's way and be ready for Occlus when she needs it.

And then the information is leaked and the Republic plays right into their hands and it's time for everyone to get onto the dropships and go.

En route, Occlus is giving last minute orders.

"Apprentice, stay near Khem Val. Khem, you are to protect her. Her safety is your highest priority."

//Yes, my master.//

"The two of you will skirt around the edge of the main battle as much as possible. I will cut straight through to the Imperial lines, and meet you near the entrance and we will go in together. Once inside, stay on guard, but don't attack unless they move first. I want to keep the garrison as intact as possible, Skar is our primary target here, not any of his men."

Nariveth nods.

... They're in a private room, none of the troops can overhear her ask some stupid questions. Time to ask some stupid questions.

"So um. Lightsabers do deflect blaster bolts, right? Is there a technique for helping me do that or will I be figuring that out as I go?"

"Yes they can, but it does require some practice to do reliably. Have your lightsaber out, and trust your instincts, but remember that dodging or using Khem Val as a shield are perfectly acceptable options."

"And ones I'll favor over deflecting them, if Khem Val's blaster bolt proof. But extra tools in the arsenal, and all. It could very well come up."

"Any other pressing concerns?"

"I assume Khem can, uh, eat a Jedi if one shows up and goes, 'Sith! Fight me'?"

Khem places a hand over his stomach and says, //I would relish the chance. It has been long since last I ate.//

He seems to mean this in a disturbingly literal fashion.

... She hopes she doesn't have to watch.

"Okay then, no further questions."

"Very well."

Occlus closes her eyes and begins summoning up her full power. She thinks of Thanaton, and forms her hatred of him into a writhing knot at the center of her being, and draws deeply on the Force through it. Power crystallizes around her hatred. When she can hold no more, she approaches the partitions in her mind that contain the passengers whose essence she has bound, and lowers the barriers just enough to draw from their capacity to touch the Force as well. She does not permit them to manifest fully. Today she requires only their power, not any of their insight. The extra Force surges through her body. If she still inhabited her old one, it would be quite painful, but the new one was designed with channeling this energy in mind.

If before Occlus was a rock in a stream, now she is a swirling maelstrom of Force energy. All shall bow before her might, or be consumed. Small flickers of lightning play randomly across her body. Her eyes glow with an eerie purple light, and ghostly afterimages trail her movements. When she speaks, her voice has resonant, echoey quality.

"I will go first, and draw fire. Once I am clear, follow at speed."

Nariveth nods, a little awestruck. That is the power of Lord Occlus? Thanaton is screwed. And Nariveth is - well, not jealous, jealous is not the correct word, but she firmly and resolutely wants that.

The dropship doors open, and Occlus steps out and rises into the air on a cushion of Force. She scans the battlefield. Are there any Jedi present, and where are the largest concentrations of Republic soldiers?

The largest concentrations of Republic soldiers are to the north and to the west. There are two Jedi present; one is with the west group of Republic soldiers and seems to be leading them, the other seems to be flitting around the battlefield at top speed, looking for tempting targets to strike.

Occlus can be a tempting target! She slaps the flitter to the ground with a heavy hand of Force energy, and heads in their direction. She electrocutes any targets of opportunity she passes on her way.

... The Jedi calls her fellow on the comm system, and then attempts to hold Occlus off from the Republic troops long enough for help to arrive.

She doesn't make it five minutes.

No, she doesn't. Occlus doesn't even deign to draw her saber. Is the other one still in a cluster of troops?

Yep.

(He's trying to coordinate efforts to keep their soldiers away from the Sith Lord, and get a squad of Jedi in to take her down, he doesn't think he can do it on his own.)

Oh he is so, so right. Occlus steps up into the air further to get a better angle, thrusts out both her hands, and rains downs a truly ridiculous quantity of lightning. Sometimes she really enjoys her job.

When the group is reduced to charred, smoking corpses, Occlus looks for the entrance to Skar's outpost. And how's her apprentice doing?

The Jedi takes much longer to die than his men, and even manages to make it out of the first lightning storm alive, but all men die eventually. Especially when blasted with enough lightning.

Her apprentice is doing fine! She made a beeline for Imperial troops, and they're giving her no trouble. For the most part, she's staying out of any and all fights, but at one point she had the initiative to trip a Republic soldier with a rocket launcher at a very precise time. The Republic soldier and most of the Republic troops around him are now slightly exploded, but Nariveth isn't interested in displaying a repeat performance. She's heading to the outpost.

Then assuming the Imperials do not question her right to pass, Occlus will meet Nariveth there.

Imperials saw Occlus's displays of power. They are not questioning a damn thing, she can go where she pleases.

And there is Nariveth! She's unharmed, though a little overwhelmed by the warzone.

Then Occlus will blast the doors open, just because she can, and enter. Which way to Skar?

He's that way!

There are Imperials in the way.

"My lord," says one, in a remarkably clear voice, "We're under orders to..." Pause. "... Nevermind, screw the orders. Never liked him anyway. Men, step aside."

And now they are not in the way!