Dominion Ash, Rock and Steel: MIR Dominion of the Ash Worlds!

[The Lord of Hunger]

"How wonderfully and simply put, The Lord of Hunger The Lord of Hunger ,"

"One must never forget the favors and the means one has brought to bear to lift Mahporeem up from the ashes of the Imperial Confederation, dear?" The Lord of Hunger calmly nodded towards R'ayne Asara before he turned his attention back towards Victport Graras who seemed more than content to turn this quip of the powerful figure with a jab of his own.

"And why would anyone want to do that?", Victport asked with a surprised tone. "The N&Z are one of our largest and most trusted partners, and to think anyone would turn their backs on them is inconceivable. Why, if I didn't know any better, I'd say your were almost insecure! Good thing I do know better, of course!"

"Heh, you do humor me quite a lot, High Commander," Credius smiled, a genuine, strangely unfiltered smile. this 'old' man had at the very least dared to speak up, rather than cower away like a dog with its tail between their legs. It was refreshing, not to mention that the admiral by the High Commander's side once more gave insight as to why they were called the 'wild one'. "Ofcourse you know better... otherwise this might have been quite a different conversation, wouldn't you think?"

Turning towards Sae , the Lord of Hunger showed himself in a strangely, eloquent and elegant manner, stepping aside as to allow her the full room necessary to utilize the reduced stress and pressure to her advantage. "My dear child, my apologies for interjecting... if you would be so kind to perhaps regale us in regards to what it is you seek to achieve or gain from the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant, the High Commander might be more forthcoming and more willing to set up a more private conference for you to utilize as a platform for discussions. isn't that right, High Commander Victport Graras ?"

 

[Ash Cobalt]

Tags: Augustus Tassar Lothar Braeyek Jessica Bowers


​

Vanguard, fall back! Secure higher ground for marking and reconnaissance.

"Way ahead of you." Came the crackly response from the scavenger. He had already begun sprinting for the hills the instant the rumbling started.

Cobalt would willingly fight and endure a great deal of discomfort and danger for Mahporeem's sake. There was a ferocity present that was only known to those used to hard living, and suddenly presented with the comforts of a roof and regular meals. He had a great deal of incentive to keep the gravy train moving along.

That said, he wasn't a true believer like the troopers around him. He'd dragged them back with him, his hair-trigger reflexes having reacted to the danger far more quickly than their own.

Snatching a pair of magnoculars from one of the scouts, he peered through them once they'd put some considerable distance between themselves and the fissure.

The mutant blinked rapidly, at first suspecting the radiation had cooked his brain. Then he took a second look. The edges of the fissure were churning with monstrous, malformed life. Things that looked like rats that had lost a fight with a droid assembly line.

Cobalt-Vanguard, give me an update as soon as you have eyes on the pit again.

"Bad news." He reported. "Pit's occupied. Got hostiles pouring out of it like ants. Big, hairy frakkers with bladed arms."

His tone was remarkably calm, considering the circumstances. Whatever his other failings, the mutant had seen some weird stuff in his time. More weird stuff largely failed to elicit any reaction, or at least one he'd let show. "Might need the heavy hardware up here, boss." Freakish as they were, at least they were flesh and blood. A visible enemy, something he could come to terms with. That was a small comfort, all things considered, but better a straight fight than the threat of the unknown.

Cobalt shouldered his short slugthrower carbine, flicked the selector to automatic, and curled his finger around the trigger. "They're moving quick. This a free-fire zone now?" He hoped so, but what scant professionalism he had prevented him from firing and giving away their position. At the rate the things were spreading, they were risking a breakout. The Imps had evidently bracketed the area, but it wouldn't remain that way for long unless they did something.

 

[Percival Bridger]

◆ LT. BRIDGER ◆ Aide-de-Camp Interim Director of Intelligence​	// DIVISION TECHNICAL OPERATIONS​	// LOCATION Cophrigin V, Viewing Gallery​	// TASKING

▸ TAGS　 Felix Yorwell 　•　OPEN

Percival recognized the Colonel easily enough from the guest list he'd studied earlier that day.

Waltz possessed both the rank and experience to make the young lieutenant's temporary appointment appear particularly strange. More importantly, the Colonel was Intelligence. That alone was sufficient to send Brian Waltz abruptly climbing Percival's carefully ordered list of priorities.

The foreign dignitaries could tolerate somewhat less attention for the moment. A senior officer of Naval Intelligence approaching him directly was considerably more immediate, particularly one serving as Commodore Yorwell's chief aide. With that recognition came an equally swift adjustment in how Percival presented himself.

If the man had come to judge whether Bridger belonged in the Director's chair, Percival had little intention of appearing overly attached to it.

He settled a little more comfortably into the seat he'd chosen, his teacup warming one gloved hand. His posture shifted by small degrees, shedding some of the quiet watchfulness he'd maintained over the gallery as his expression opened into pleasant surprise. A touch of youthful excitement crept into the small smile he offered Waltz, as though receiving the Colonel's attention had caught him somewhat off guard.

Percival adjusted his glasses with one gloved finger as he turned more fully toward the man introducing himself. At the Colonel's introduction, he set his tea aside and instinctively moved to rise. One hand closed around the handle of his cane as he carefully shifted his weight away from the injured leg, refusing to let the brief protest from his knee interfere with the courtesy.

"No, I don't believe we've met before, sir. It's quite an honor to make your acquaintance, Colonel Waltz."

He offered softly with a respectful inclination of his head , pressing his free gloved hand gently across his chest as he offered the respectful gesture. He allowed himself to look exactly as he was supposed to: a junior technical officer carrying an assignment considerably larger than himself. Competent, certainly… but hardly threatening. He indicated the nearby seat with a small gesture.

"Please, Colonel, you're more than welcome to join me."

There was little advantage in convincing a Colonel that the First Lieutenant occupying his superior's office possessed aspirations beyond merely surviving the responsibility until its proper owner returned.

Percival's attention shifted toward the simulation in question. He regarded it for a few moments before a considerably more genuine excitement found its way into his expression, a small smile spreading across his features as he prepared to answer the question… though perhaps not quite in the manner the Colonel intended. Just as Yorwell's thirteen vessels populated the display. His expression brightened even more almost immediately, and he leaned forward a fraction before seeming to remember himself.

"Oh… there they are. Thirteen vessels at once; quite an entrance, Colonel."

His gaze followed the sudden bloom of information accompanying their arrival, and the small smile upon his features widened yet further.

"And look at all that telemetry coming through simultaneously… Excellent. The systems running it are simply magnificent," he offered, with considerably more enthusiasm than one might expect from the otherwise reserved young officer.

"Maintaining that many independent tactical feeds, sensor returns, communications channels, and environmental variables simultaneously without introducing appreciable latency is… quite impressive. Truly a marvel of modern military advancement in tactical simulation, battlefield coordination, and command technology."

He took a small sip of his tea before setting the cup carefully aside.

"As for the tactics themselves… I suspect my observations would be rather modest compared with those of the gentlemen actually commanding the fleets... Technical Operations is rather more my wheelhouse."

 

[Lothar Braeyek]

Objective III - Moon Exploration | Augustus Tassar | Ash Cobalt | Jessica Bowers

The ground trembled beneath the AT-AAW as small specks of dust trickled from the seams of the cockpit. A distant fissure had come alive. Lothar now stared on into the darkness that lie ahead.
"Keeves. A firing lane now would be very nice."

"Already doing so, sir."

Lothar opened the comms to the walker channel to alert the other AT-AAW crews.
"TA-147 to walker units. Open your intervals. Cover one another & mind the infantry."

Almost in unison the men of the 102nd Imperial Armoured Regiment responded.
"Walker 149, Copy that 147." "This is TA-150, we're In position." "151 reporting in & at the ready."
The other AT-AAWs began moving into position, their heavy frames turning deliberately as their NZ LC-2A Laser Cannons tracked the streets.

Keeves studied his instruments.
"Contacts."

Braeyek tapped his control pad impatiently
"Hmph ok, How many?"

"More than I'd care to count."

Lothar's expression hardened as shapes began spilling from the fissure.

He opened the command channel.
"TA-147 to Lion-Actual Augustus Tassar . Hostiles confirmed. Walkers are in position and ready, sir."

Keeves settled behind the guns, his eyes like Lothars, fixed on the dark streets ahead..
"Permission to shoot, sir?"

Lothar Braeyek raised an eyebrow as he gave him a measured glance.
"Calm yourself Mr Keeves, You heard the orders."

"I did, sir."

"Then you know better."
Lothar returned his attention to the viewport, The hulking metal giants now waited patiently for the command to fire.

 

[Zesiro]

Objective: Viewing Gallery
Tags: Prystill Oasay

"Pry, then," Zesiro agreed easily, the shortened name drawing another small smile from her. There was something reassuring about discovering that neither of them seemed particularly interested in hiding behind their titles. More importantly, Prystill seemed interested in actually working with her rather than defending the boundaries of her office, and Zes could appreciate that. "You can bother me for whatever information you need. I can't promise I'll always have it myself, but I'll make sure we find out who does."

When Prystill indicated the gathering elsewhere in the gallery, Zesiro followed her attention toward Sae and fell quiet. The humor faded from her expression as she watched not merely the Republic representative but the people surrounding her. It was an old habit, older even than her years, protecting Darlyn. Long before she had stood beside a president, Zes had been taught to study people, to notice discomfort and hesitation, to recognize when someone was receptive and when pressure would only make them withdraw. She disliked remembering why those lessons had originally been taught to her, but she had long since made them her own.

"I don't think we know enough about her yet," Zes said after a moment, keeping her voice low enough that the observation remained between them. "Imperial sympathies, financial connections, whatever somebody put into a briefing about her, those things tell us what other people think she is. They don't necessarily tell us what she wants." Her eyes remained on the distant gathering. "And right now, I think finding out what she wants is more important than deciding what she is."

The exchange unfolding around Sae was another matter. Zesiro watched as attention converged on a woman who was supposed to be a visiting representative and quietly exhaled through her nose. "As for that..." A faint crease formed between her brows. "If I walked into another government's gathering and one of the first things someone did was remind me that people in the room considered me a traitor and an enemy, I'd probably start wondering why I'd been invited." The intervention that followed might have been intended as support, but bringing financial influence and Mahporeem's unwillingness to oppose N&Z into the conversation hardly made the situation any simpler. "Then someone else effectively tells everyone that I'm protected because of who I'm connected to. Maybe that takes some pressure off me, but it also tells me those connections matter enough to be used publicly."

Her gaze shifted briefly toward Prystill. "So yes, I think your instinct is right. Don't go over there yet. She's already got enough people around her, and adding the Foreign Minister would make it feel even more like she's being surrounded." There was no criticism in her voice toward any of those involved. They had their own reasons for approaching the situation as they had, and Zesiro wasn't arrogant enough to believe she understood all of them from a distance.

Instead, she looked back toward Sae thoughtfully. "Give her room. Let that conversation finish. If she stays afterward instead of finding the first excuse to leave, that tells us something by itself." A small smile returned to Zesiro's lips. "Then you can approach her as Pry rather than the latest Mahporeem official waiting for a turn."

She folded her arms loosely and regarded Prystill from the corner of her eye. "And when you do talk to her, I'd start exactly where you said you wanted to. Ask what she's looking for before offering anything. People will tell you quite a lot when they don't think you're trying to sell them something." Her smile grew a fraction. "At least, that's what years of standing quietly beside politicians taught me."

 

[Sae]

---

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Tag: Illithor Du'thra | The Lord of Hunger | R'ayne Asara | Zesiro | Victport Graras | Percival Bridger | Prystill Oasay

---

"How wonderfully and simply put..."

Sae glanced in the direction of Asara as she joined the conversation. Quietly Sae noted the Twi'lek and averted her gaze back to the conversation between L.O.H and Commander Graras.

"Officially, Republic representative... Supposedly, however, one with some Imperial sympathies... And apparently financial connections significant enough that someone is willing to publicly invoke them on her behalf."

As the two men beside Sae conversed another conversation happening nearby put the Ettian into focus.

At the beginning of this calendar year there had been no Imperial movements in the Mid-systems ever since the Galactic Empire were conquered by the Sith Covenant. Supreme Commander Sularen's incident above Corellia not withstanding, Imperialism was on a rapid decline in the Mid Rim Territories up until an obscure and relatively unknown politician emerged in the Trailing Sectors with a loud voice telling all that would hear her spreading a form of politics that were an anathema to the democratic graces of the Nabooian aristocracy and their allies across the High Republic.

That voice would need more than the financial support and leverage held by the likes of Vūm if it were going to survive the politicking that was happening in Theed.

Imperial Star Destroyers are mighty. Loud voices of discontent and calls for disbarment or arrest paled in comparison when such might can be brought to bear.

"And why would anyone want to do that? The N&Z are one of our largest and most trusted partners, and to think anyone would turn their backs on them is inconceivable. Why, if I didn't know any better, I'd say your were almost insecure! Good thing I do know better, of course!"

Sae studied L.O.H as he listened quietly to Graras as the seemingly elder man quipped and barbed at the taller of the two. Vūm had made no mention of the N&Z when they had advised Sae to accept Mahporeem's invitation. Any information about the various organisations or sub-branches of this Imperial remnant would have been useful to know before Sae landed in Corrox. Either they did not know anything about who they were or they did not want Sae to know anything about them before landing in the city. It was curious to say-the-least.

"But back to the matter at hand... As he has made quite clear and I have tried to express myself, you are quite welcome here in Mahporeem, and I would argue your presence plays an integrally important role in our foreign affairs..."

Turning back to Graras, Sae listened to the Commander as he brought up why the Ambassador to Chommell Minor was here. Sae knew, at the very least, that her invitation to this gallery had been one among many. Although Vūm hadn't given the Ettian any information about the N&Z Umbrella Corporation, Sae was well informed enough to know that the K.R.C were not the only members of the Republic Senate who had received an invitation to Corrox.

Several representatives all across the High Republic had received a communique over the past few weeks (that contained their own invites to the gallery) to try and convince them to make the long voyage out to Mahporeem itself so that they could hear what they had to say in person. It was just that Kenari were the only member-planet to accept one of those invitations and had dispatched their Ambassador to Chommell Minor to meet with the Imperial remnant unlike the other star systems who had ignored their invitation entirely.

Sae only felt that she was important because she was the only person in the viewing gallery with genuine ties to Naboo. With that type of knowledge and insight came with it the context. If someone like Aurelian Veruna, Verity Stuyveris, Ayumi Pallopides or even High Chancellor Vexx herself were here in attendance then Sae would be nothing more than a bit-part player in spite of her politics that were oddly thetical to Mahporeem itself.

"...I shall have to introduce you to our Foreign Affairs Minister Prystill Oasay later today..."

Another person to remember and make note of.

"...Regardless, I am glad you're here. Our predecessors had taken an... Interesting approach to diplomacy with the High Republic. Abducting a senator and forcing the hand of Dominique Vexx is perhaps not the way that I would have gone about greeting our neighbors to the far west. But alas it was not my decision to do so at the time, though our friend here played a pivotal role in ending that crisis as I'm told?"

The nearby monitor continued to play the battle simulation while Supreme Commander Marlon Sularen was battle-tested by his compatriots and rivals amid the Imperial remnants. But that wasn't where Sae was looking at. She glanced at L.O.H again and found herself looking upon a man who (if Commander Graras wasn't being too overly complimentary towards) had played a part in quelling the crisis in Corellia wrought by Sularen himself.

There had been no mention of the N&Z in the media frenzy surrounding Cynan Obaith and the debacle Sularen caused. Sae's curiosity increased quietly the longer Graras spoke.

"Still, with a change in management comes a chance to make amends and start fresh, I hope. Especially considering that the Sith are knocking on the High Republic's doorstep. As I understand it, they've already engaged in several skirmishes across their borders. Nasty bit of business, I hear. Tell me, how amenable is the High Republic to making new friends these days?"

"My dear child, my apologies for interjecting... if you would be so kind to perhaps regale us in regards to what it is you seek to achieve or gain from the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant, the High Commander might be more forthcoming and more willing to set up a more private conference for you to utilize as a platform for discussions. Isn't that right, High Commander Victport Graras?"

"Private conversations will yield not much else than talking to me in this gallery," Sae replied to L.O.H curtly in a thick Ettian accent and with an undercurrent of that certain tone only Imperials can muster while they talk. "My Ambassadorship in the Trailing Sectors has given me a platform to practise my politics in Theed. However, the politics on Naboo are not kind to the ideas that I would like to talk about. If we are going to talk about diplomacy or politicking then it should be done where others can hear us. It is the only way to make genuine strides in pushing the ideas."

Sae turned back to Graras. She wasn't sure if she liked the man yet. Likeability was often an attribute that was looked over as it came to politicking like this. You could have the right ideas, as Sae held no doubts that she had them, but if you were unlikeable and people found you to be detestable then it was far easier to dismiss what someone had to say and their ideas went with them. Graras' joke about Sae being a traitor had been insulting. She would have to endeavour in looking over it and accepting it for what it was as the High Commander stood dangerously close to being disliked by the Ambassador standing in front of him listening to his ideas and questions.

There was nothing to joke about when it came to the ideas of the Empire.

"The High Republic is not amenable, as you put it, to making friends with Imperials," Sae said to Graras as she turned to answer his question. "There is a basis for an argument to be made that the type of politics and ideas that I have been in support of is liable for disbarment from my Ambassadorship and prosecution under the Charter of Unity. I am out and front proud Imperialist. Here, I will show you what I mean."

Turning back to the viewing monitor, Sae minimized the battle simulation into the corner and used the device to pull up the Charter of Unity. She then highlighted the preamble at the top of the document while it was displayed in digital form:

THE HIGH REPUBLIC " THE CHARTER OF UNITY "​ PREAMBLE:​ " We, the sovereign citizens of the High Republic, in recognition of our shared heritage, our dedication to democracy, and our solemn commitment to unity and progress, do hereby establish this Constitution. Born of Naboo but destined for the stars, the High Republic shall be a sanctuary of peace, justice, and cooperation for all sentient beings under the guidance of the Force and the principles of the Jedi Order. Through the Republic Senate and the Charter of Unity, we reaffirm our pledge to safeguard the rights of all member worlds, to abolish all forms of slavery and systemic oppression, and to resist the creeping shadows of authoritarianism, Sith influence, and foreign exploitation. "

"To resist the creeping shadows of authoritarianism," Sae quoted as she turned back to the two men beside her. "There are undoubtedly many in Theed who cannot differentiate between an Imperial remnant, such as Mahporeem, to that of the Sith Empire or the Sith Covenant. We are the bad and they are the good. That is their politics when it comes to people like us"

Sae tapped her finger on the screen to highlight a different part of the preamble.

"Sith influence, however, should change minds. Mahporeem is far, far away from Naboo. But an occupied Imperial Centre is much closer and Jutrand has spread itself right to the borders of the Mid-systems. Corrox shouldn't be seen as an immediate threat to them. When I was leaving Theed to come here I was watching media covering an attack on Thyferra. I lost the telemetry somewhere out in the Mara Corridor but I think it was the Sith Empire. War has a way of changing perspectives."

Not too long ago another summit had been held in Corrox. It had been hosted by one-of-the-three organisations that were pinned to Sae's chest. It was apart of a business proposal presented to members of Mahporeem's High Command (and their other affiliates) to approve the construction of the Svivren Pass: a hyperlane corridor that both starts and ends between the Weiss system in the Outer Rim to the Svivren system in the Mid-systems. It was proposed for commercial activities, such as trading, while elevating Mahporeem's issues pertaining to the supply of foodstuffs after a supposed eco-logical disaster was addressed.

But there were other means and ways to use such a corridor in space. As Sae politicked in the gallery one may fall into the possession of a scope and peer into an intelligent design. Vūm's red star gleamed in the digital light of the monitor while the Republic's Unity Charter rolled across the screen in Aurebesh text.

"If it were not for the Compact I wouldn't even be here," Sae admitted to L.O.H and Graras. She unpinned the Kenari Resource Compact's pin and showed it to both of them. A malevolent eye starred up at them from the smooth, circular object in her palm. Where the retina of the eye ought to be was crimson red while the rest of it was specked with white and strands of yellow. It was oddly familiar to those who once worked with a certain individual from von Strauss's defunct commission in New Aldera.

"But Kenari is interested in supporting someone who recently joined Triarch. I haven't met them before but I am told that they are an Imperial expat living on Enarc and they like my ideas. I think I have them to thank for being here. Things were not going well for me on Chommel Minor before I was brought into the Resource Compact."

Every mining consortium has leaders. Businessmen, or women, who hold stock and ownership in the organisation while representing their own groups and interests. Such were the normal practices of business. Resting above all eleven groups of the K.R.C were Triarch and they called the shots when it came to Kenari. Sae hadn't met any of them yet either. She understood that her quiet, silent benefactor from Enarc was among them. So far Triarch had been delegating their messages and desires through a middle-man employed by Vūm. It just so happened that same person had recently delivered Tarsai's proposal.

Reattaching the pin to her chest, Sae said: "At least someone else supports Imperialism back in the Mid Rim. But to create a diplomatic status between Mahporeem and Naboo will take a lot of work. It could even be impossible. There is a lot influence in Theed that would scupper any attempts to set up an official channel to someone like Chancellor Vexx at the moment. Some of it is from Mandalore and the Treaty of the Twin Suns. But a lot of it is from Parrlay as well."

Stepping away from the monitor, Sae folded both hands behind her back to think strategically. Vūm had advised her to be honest and forthcoming with Mahporeem. To explain and showcase the how and why Imperialism was so unpopular back in the High Republic. Now it was time to bring these other junkyard Imperials over to her ideas.

"This is why I am forming an Imperial-bloc in Theed," Sae elaborated to Graras and L.O.H. "If my people had voting power then the politics that we are trying to elevate on Naboo would not be so easily dismissed. Certainly, the idea of the Unity Charter being used to silence us would be seen as political persecution if we had a strong voice and presence in the Senate. I haven't met King Veruna yet but I understand that he is the type of man that is amenable to those who would support him politically. We have a lot of ideas on Kenari, gentlemen..."

---

 

[Felix Yorwell]

Tags: Percival Bridger

The kid was starting to get on Brian's nerves.
​

He knew what the colonel had meant when he asked about the simulations - he had to. Either Percival was messing with him, or he was one of those geeky types with no social skills. Regrettably, the boy's position as Acting Director of Intelligence meant that Brian could not openly accuse him of either.

However, he could offer a more direct line of questioning.

"Apologies, acting director." began Brian. "What I meant to ask is this: do you think these simulations are a good way to show that Marlon is worthy of the title of Grand Admiral?"

He took a sip of tea before continuing, watching Percy for any signs of confusion or discomfort.

"Personally, I believe that while the total forces brought by each side are realistic, the fact that neither side knows any of the forces their foe is bringing is not. Surely intelligence would at least reveal what classes of ship each party could bring to the field, yet Felix and Aurelian are just as in the dark about what forces Marlon might muster as we are."

He paused again as a single ship entered the defender's side of the battlefield, one far larger than any of Felix's individual ships.

"There goes Aurelian."

"That reminds me, there is another curious addition to this simulation: the neutral forces under Karl von Strauss. Do you think such a force would be common in a naval battle, and would winning them over to one side even be possible? Or is it more likely that they would simply flee to escape the battle?"

With that Brian brought an end to his questioning, taking a longer sip from his tea to give Percy a chance to respond.

OOC: This is NOT a Felix post, and does not count towards the timer until his reinforcements arrive.

 

[Percival Bridger]

◆ LT. BRIDGER ◆ Aide-de-Camp Interim Director of Intelligence​	// DIVISION TECHNICAL OPERATIONS​	// LOCATION Cophrigin V, Viewing Gallery​	// TASKING

▸ TAGS　 Felix Yorwell

Percival considered the question for several moments, his earlier enthusiasm settling as he regarded the unfolding display. Another evasive response might invite further irritation, so perhaps a measure of truth would serve him better this time. Precisely how much truth was another matter entirely.

"Personally, Colonel, I would consider a simulation quite useful for testing someone's adaptability within a controlled environment. I would hesitate, however, to suggest that any single exercise could determine whether someone deserves their station. Experience, merit, and service record ought to carry considerably greater weight… I imagine."

His voice remained soft, intended for the Colonel rather than the surrounding gallery.

"In Sularen's case, his service record presents a persuasive argument for his appointment as a naval commander. His political history is considerably less reassuring. He has demonstrated enduring loyalty to his interpretation of the Imperial cause, though rather less consistency toward the governments claiming to represent it. I would consider his command experience proven, but I would hesitate to mistake victories in battle for evidence of sound political judgment."

He adjusted his glasses before returning his attention to the opposing formations. His gaze lingered there as though he were considering what else he might reasonably offer, allowing the pause to stretch while he appeared to gather his thoughts.

"Even the most complicated simulation possesses dependable rules. Actual operations rarely extend commanders that courtesy. An unrecorded weapons modification, an unexpected allegiance, or one frightened officer making a poor decision may alter everything. I believe there is an old saying that a single grain of rice may decide where the scales of war finally settle."

His gaze passed across the thirteen vessels currently occupying the display before settling upon the newly arrived ship.

"Concealing each commander's exact selection preserves uncertainty. Complete ignorance is another matter. I agree that the participants ought to receive at least a general assessment of their opponents' known capabilities and available ship classes, even if their precise compositions remain concealed. Recorded battlefield sightings alone provide some indication of what each commander traditionally favors."

Percival raised one black-gloved hand toward the projection.

"Grand Admiral Sularen has spent decades constructing his fleets around battlecarriers. His flagship has changed from the Predator, to the Tyuk, and now, more recently, the Sularen's Revenge, but its purpose has remained consistent: an enormous command vessel anchoring several heavy warships, supported by a considerable starfighter complement and some means of preventing an enemy withdrawal."

"During the Battle of Tython, he held his main fleet outside the central engagement while six Star Destroyers advanced with more than five hundred fighters. At the Second Battle of Bastion, the Sularen's Revenge advanced with three heavy escorts, concentrated its fire upon the enemy's largest vessels, and attempted to cut off their withdrawal. I would expect some variation upon that arrangement here."

The faintest suggestion of amusement touched his otherwise studious expression.

"Grand Admiral Sularen is remarkably committed to preventing his opponents from withdrawing, Colonel. His vessels suggest an equally firm commitment to ensuring that he retains the option himself."

He paused, studying the measurements accompanying Yorwell's formation. His pale blue eyes moved between the vessels as though the calculation had only just occurred to him; when he continued, his tone had grown somewhat more tentative.

"I cannot claim to know what limitations were given to today's participants. Assuming comparable allowances, Commodore Yorwell has distributed approximately ten thousand metres of hull across thirteen vessels. Sularen may concentrate much of that allowance into one battlecarrier with fewer escorts, or distribute it across a broader line… though the latter would not ordinarily be his style."

Percival retrieved his tea, allowing his attention to wander across the displays as he took another sip.

"That also assumes every vessel must be committed immediately. If delayed deployment, reserve forces, or concealed signatures are permitted, what presently appears upon the field may only be what each commander wishes the others to see."

Percival's attention shifted toward the neutral formation, studying it for several moments before he continued.

"As for Lord Strauss, such a neutral force would be uncommon, but not implausible. Local defenders or mercenaries serving another interested power might easily become caught between two fleets. Whether they fled or chose a side would depend upon what they stood to lose. A force with no investment in the battlefield would likely withdraw if offered a safe opportunity; one defending its territory, livelihood, or political interests might be persuaded to remain."

A small, thoughtful smile settled across his features, as though this portion of the question had proven more familiar than he wished to admit.

"Winning them over is therefore possible, Colonel, but strength alone would not accomplish it. One would first need to understand what they valued… and what they feared losing."

Percival appeared to catch himself, his attention lowering toward the tea held between his gloved hands.

"Though that is merely pattern recognition from the available records, Colonel. Knowing which vessels a commander has favored is considerably different from understanding how he intends to employ them. I suspect Commodore Yorwell would consider most of my observations rather… elementary."

 

[Jessica Bowers]

OBJECTIVE III: THAT'S...A LOT OF MOONS
[PvP, PvE,]
​

The squad divided into two smaller groups from Inferno Squadron swept the flanking streets expertly, and secured one residence after the other, without encountering a single soul. The eerieness of the place would have gotten any militiaman out of balance. As an elite special operations unit, things were different for members in Inferno Squadron watching the world through artificial optics. The thought of when the trap would spring had although crossed her mind. An ambush by the indigenous people? Uncharted beasts picking up their scent and wanting a meal with a crunchy outer layer and soft, juicy insides? The answer, or at least the beginning of it, came as she and the three other troopers was about to break down another door.

<''the kark was that?!''> her voice came out surprised and scrambled by the voice modulator built into their helmets, and she turned her head back to look at her three colleagues. The ground shook underneath their boots. They didn't exactly need advanced sensors to feel the tremors putting them all on the highest alert.

"Vanguard, fall back! Secure higher ground for marking and reconnaissance. 181st units into firing positions, cross-fire sections, use high ground as well, block the streets. TA-147 and walkers, acquire proper firing lanes for mutual support if possible. Inferno keeps the walkers secure. Banners Faerryr and Oraeius, take surrounding positions for the outpost."

As the new orders came, Bowers secured her blaster rifle and took the lead in a swift jog, cruising the alleyways towards the position of the walkers. Once they came out from the alleys and had the walkers in sight, she looked up towards the rooftops and scanned for possible ways up.

<''Inferno Squad - Battle positions on the roofstops! Either side of the walkers! Create a perimiter around them! Close protection!''> she called out to the squad, before her second-in-command gave a sign acknowledging the order from across the street and the both groups sprang into action and ascended by old, rusty ladders attached to the buildings.

Bowers and her group crouched down and made their weapons ready and made sure to scan the area closest to the walkers. If something got through their big guns blazing, Inferno would be able to snipe anything that threatened to topple them over, break through their protecting armor or cut their hydraulics. At least, that was what she hoped for.

Lothar Braeyek , Ash Cobalt , Ronhar Tane , Augustus Tassar​

 

[Erve Kozzit]

Location: The Boneyard, Iego
Objective: Investigate signs of previous scavengers within Iego's Boneyard and discover what they found before they disappeared.
Tags: Shae'ri Mor

Erve's grin broadened. There it was. Fine. Let's find it. That was more like it. She gave Shae'ri an approving look before turning her battered scanner back toward the passage. "See? Knew there was a reason I liked you."

The stormtroopers advanced again, their rifles tracking the darkness ahead while Erve kept closer to the cable. The scanner swept over the ground, but she trusted her eyes just as much. Maybe more. Technology told you what its designers had taught it to recognize. A good junker learned to notice whatever didn't belong.

Shae'ri's raised hand brought everyone to a halt. Erve stopped immediately. There. Something passed through recently. She followed Shae'ri's indication and crouched, angling her light low across the disturbed soil rather than shining it directly down. Shadows stretched from tiny ridges and depressions that would've vanished beneath illumination from above.

"Yeah." Erve moved the beam slowly. Whatever had passed through hadn't done so centuries ago with the people who installed the cable. That much was obvious. Old dust had been disturbed. Loose material had shifted into places where the ground beneath it was more compact. The trail wasn't dead.

Erve's expression brightened at that considerably more than it probably should have. "Well, that's good news." One of the troopers looked toward her. She glanced up. "What? Better than finding nothing."

Erve stood and motioned forward. "Keep moving. Watch the ground where you put those boots. I'd rather not spend the next hour figuring out which tracks belong to you lot." The troopers resumed their advance. Erve remained near the front, following the disturbance whenever she could and the cable when she couldn't. The farther they went, the more she found herself glancing sideways at Shae'ri.

Eventually she stopped pretending she wasn't. "You know, you're not like most Twi'leks I've met." There was no insult in it. If anything, Erve sounded as though she'd encountered a particularly interesting piece of machinery and hadn't yet decided what it did.

She looked Shae'ri over again. Not lasciviously. Mostly not. Who could really look at a Twi’lek completely devoid of lust? Not Erve. She looked mostly appraisingly. The pale Twi'lek moved like someone accustomed to danger rather than someone merely prepared for it. She watched first, committed second, and didn't seem especially troubled by the prospect that whatever waited ahead might be considerably nastier than expected.

Erve nodded to herself. "I like it." Two more steps. Her brow furrowed. "I also don't." She let that hang for a moment. "You keep doing sensible things." Erve shot Shae'ri a sidelong look. "It's unsettling." A crooked grin made it clear just how serious the complaint was.

The scanner in her hand chirped. Erve stopped. This time her attention snapped away from Shae'ri immediately. She backed up half a step and swept the device across the same section again. Another response. "Hold." Her fist rose.

Erve moved toward the wall where the cable ran alongside corroded reinforcement. She crouched and examined the metal. At first there was nothing remarkable about it—just another battered plate among dozens used to keep the passage from collapsing.

Then she found the scrape. Fresh against old corrosion. Erve ran one finger just beside it. "Something rubbed against this." She indicated a second mark lower down. "Recently." Her eyes moved between the scrape and the disturbed ground Shae'ri had already identified. "Same direction." Deeper.

That pleased Erve. She straightened and looked ahead into the darkness. "Whatever we're following isn't just wandering around." Her hand settled upon the hilt of her heavy saber. "It's using the passage."

The urge to simply follow at speed was obvious on Erve's face. She resisted it. Barely. Instead she started forward again, allowing the scouts enough distance to actually scout while keeping herself close enough to intervene if their mysterious friend decided to introduce itself. "All right, Mor." Erve's voice dropped as the darkness closed around them again. "We investigate." A beat. "Very responsibly." Another few steps. Then she added quietly, "But when something jumps out, I'm hitting it." That part wasn't negotiable.

 

[Augustus Tassar]

STATUS	Strike Force Lions of the New Order	Defending - Moon 33/V "Tristram"​
IMPFOR	Lothar Braeyek Ash Cobalt Jessica Bowers Ronhar Tane Open	"Lion-Actual", Post IV​
OPFOR	Maelibi, Marskha, THAT

That which once were the rats of Tristram were the first creatures to emerge. Creatures about two meters tall, but hunched, powerful limbs and sick skin below patches of fur. They screamed like rodents on stimulants that were brewed in the depths of Odacer Faustin. It was terrifying. There were only about two dozen of them which quickly ran everywhere and nowhere - no tactical sense other than to devour. Lucky for them, there were many Stormtroopers around which found themselves lowered in the food chain.

"Fire at will! Coordinate your targets." Tassar overrode any comms frequency with his command.

Stormtroopers in firing positions opened up. Blaster fire ran down some streets. Screams were heard over the comms and outside of them as some soldiers were ripped apart by the mutated beasts. They took a hell of a beating before they went down. In one floor level room where a squad of troopers was controlling two parallel streets through opposing windows, one of the creatures emerged and started slaughtering them in a furious combination of devouring and attacking. A Stormtrooper managed to get a thermal detonator down the throat of it, losing the arm in the process and killed the beast.

Another one was obliterated by no other than Augustus himself as it emerged from a canalisation opening. The Lion's Talon cut it apart without much effort and without the Grand Marshal breaking as much as sweat between keeping his lines together, giving constant orders to the Stormtroopers which were surprised by this kind of attack.

The rat-mutants, while quite small-minded initially, quite successfully used the canalisation to infiltrate the imperial lines and threaten them at every stage.

But it was a mere distraction. A vanguard as more vicious beasts erupted from the pit that seemed to lead directly to hell itself. Maelibi emerged, not more and more, together with Marskha, crimson skinned creatures that carried ugly looking swords and seemed like they screamed perpetually.

"Reform the line! 102nd suppressive fire down the streets towards the pit. Inferno, Cobalt and Vanguard, clear up our rear. 181st will hold the line."

What had happened here? Why were there such alien beasts here? Augustus did not expect such opposition, nor did any of his staff or intelligence. Something was wrong, something had happened and the secret of that lay at the bottom of that pit. They had to reach and clear it.

 

[Victport Graras]

HIGH COMMANDER VICTPORT GRARAS
COPHRIGIN V SIMULATION CHAMBERS
OBJECTIVE II: VIEWING GALLERY

It seemed that High Republic and Mahporeenian relations would not be without their difficulties.

From what Sae was describing to him, she was undoubtedly an ally of the Imperial Remnant, and was quite sympathetic to their goals in the region. Having someone speak so truthfully, so upfront in their views and beliefs, was...refreshing, to be honest. Sae could be a valued partner and asset to the Imperial Remnant in the long run, and she was someone that Victport would do well to establish a good relationship with.

But her assessment of things was worrying, albeit a realistic picture of how far galactic relations have devolved over the last few years. The Sith were knocking on the High Republic's doorstep, and were actively invading them and burning their planets. Yet the High Republic still, for reasons Victport could not understand, hesitant to turn to Mahporeem for help despite the Imperial Remnant's own actions against the Sith. The mere label of "Imperial" was proving problematic, and it appeared that the High Republic was more interested in upholding their narrow minded principles than actually beating back the Sith thread. That was quite noble of them, which is how Victport was sure they would be remembered when the Sith completely and utterly destroyed them.

Still, it wasn't entirely without hope from what Sae was describing, as she was taking her own steps to create a Mahporeenian sphere of influence within Theed and the High Republic. It would be costly, time consuming and difficult endeavor to pull off. But, should they be successful, it would be of great benefit, and might just possibly give Mahporeem the "in" they needed to continue expanding their influence across the Core Worlds and Inner Rim.

"I understand", Victport replied. "It seems these endeavors are not without their challenges. That being said, I believe your cause is one worth supporting, and I stand ready to fully back your efforts. This 'King Veruna' of yours seems like a good man to start with. What is it that you would need from our end?"

And so Victport, Sae and The Lord of Hunger continued their discussion of how to best further their plans...

TAGS:
Sae
The Lord of Hunger
OPEN

​

 

[Ash Cobalt]

Tags: Augustus Tassar Lothar Braeyek Jessica Bowers
​

Inferno, Cobalt and Vanguard, clear up our rear.

​

"Easier-" Cobalt's voice paused on the line as the stifled reports of his suppressed weapon were audible "-said than done. They don't die easy."

The tiny vanguard began to carefully pick its way through the swarm, weapons blazing.

Cobalt whipped a short-barreled weapon from a leather belt holster, jamming it between the slobbering jaws of a rodentish thing that came spilling out of a partly-collapsed doorway.

With a muffled whump, the monster's head disappeared in a cloud of organic offal, sending the massively-muscled body tumbling to the ground.

Still, the thing thrashed as it died, and one enormous claw caught its killer in the ribs. Cobalt's world went black for a few seconds as he was sent sailing into a nearby wall, and when he awoke, it was to find the scouts standing over him. They'd none-too-gently attempted to wake him, evidently successfully.

"Get the feth off me." He snapped, standing up and feeling the bones in his side grind. There was rather too much blood for his liking, and it felt like he'd been hit by a groundcar, but he was alive. That was enough.

Cobalt was quite used to getting injured, often seriously injured. Even so, the pain made his eyes water a bit. Digging into his bag, he produced a syringe, jabbed it into his neck, and depressed the plunger.

The pain in his side immediately vanished, replaced by a focused calm and more importantly, a desire for revenge. The scavver's already-sharp reflexes and perception heightened well into the realm of the superhuman, and he turned to pick targets as they fell back. Other things had joined the assault now, things even more otherworldly than the rat-beasts. Any trepidation Cobalt might have felt was stifled by the combat stimulant.

The horde seemed to move in slow-motion now, and Cobalt lined up his shots with drug-enhanced accuracy. Rapid-fired slugs slammed into eye sockets, ruptured arteries, and shattered legbones, sending their owners down in mangled heaps. One round tore through a misshapen skull, bounced off a wall, and took another monster through the heart. Shameless showboating, something for his accompanying Scout Troopers to talk about later in the barracks, but Cobalt felt he'd earned it.

Nearly every individual shot fired claimed a life as the short slugger chattered, and the Vanguard used the momentary ebbing of the swarm well. The scout troopers fired their own sniper rifles with the ease of long practice, adding more bodies to the growing layer already littering the street. Vicious as the enemy was, Mahporeem had trained its men well, and a good blaster beat a mean temper every time.

"Vanguard unit reports complete disarray in the enemy's back lines, if you can call them that." Cobalt reported somewhat smugly. "Mean bastards, but I've seen meaner."

 

[QV-611]

Thread Objective: That’s...a Lot of Moons
Location: Spacer Outpost, Moon 33/V “Tristram” - Moons of Iego
Tag: Augustus Tassar Ash Cobalt Lothar Braeyek Ronhar Tane Jessica Bowers

​

The Lions suddenly had a rat problem. A giant rat problem.

QV-611’s eyes went wide beneath the inscrutable mask of her helmet as she sized up the hulking rat-monster rapidly growing larger in her HUD. Were these creatures Skraal, Krerid, or some other variety of sentient rodent? The Junktrooper could not begin to guess, especially with so many of them emerging from the fissure, like a tide of bristling, fanged nightmares.

She punched a stim into her thigh, and her pupils dilated, the rush setting her system alight as time stretched within her perception. Everything became crystalline and sharp, her eyes tracking the scuttling movements of the beasts with unerring precision as she honed in on her first target.

Setting her medium blaster cannon in position, QV-611 drew her sights onto the center mass of the nearest rat-monster and opened fire. A hypervelocity stream of cyan-hued hyper-ionized particle bolts erupted from her weapon, and suddenly six steaming craters were lanced through the beast’s thick hide, sending its grotesquely muscled form crashing to the ground in a convulsing heap.

Her blaster cannon whined, then unleashed another blistering salvo towards a rat-monster whose hide was slick with the blood of an unfortunate stormtrooper. A withering hail of cyan fire blasted through its flesh before the beast could inflict further damage, reducing its form to a steaming, ruined carcass. QV-611’s eyes lit up with a flicker of delight, but she did not spare a moment to revel in the sudden thrill of her first kills. She immediately turned her sights onto another of the beasts before laying on the trigger. A salvo ripped forth from her blaster cannon, but the Junktrooper immediately realized that this beast, with its metallic skin, was built different.

Its reflective golden hide absorbed her first two bolts. However, the creature staggered as the sheer kinetic impact transferred brutal concussive force directly to its body. A normal blaster bolt might have been turned away, but her blaster cannon delivered kinetic force with thermal energy, combining the brutal punch of an autocannon with the superheated fury of a star.

And QV-611 did not stop punching.

She poured more fire into the Maelibus's metallic hide, cracking it open like a ruptured can before superheated plasma bolts incinerated the vulnerable flesh beneath. The beast's roar turned into a wet hiss, and it collapsed, its golden hide reduced to a scorched, shattered ruin!

Spoiler: Loadout

• Smog Trooper Armor
  
  • Vambraces
    
    • Grappling Device - L
    • FAE/M-02 Energized Forearm Vibroblade Mk. II - R
  • Foot Guards/Boots
    
    • FAE/A-14 Energized Foot Gear - Shock Boots Replacement
      
      • Jetboot Thrusters (2) - Removed
  • Model 6 Modular Backpack
    
    • Hydration Pack
    • Medpac
      
      • ABC - Aerosolized Bacta Canister
    • Plasma Cutter
    • Crowbar
    • Omnitech Multi Gadget Model 1
    • Industrial Adhesive and Sealant
    • Field Rations
    • Armor Repair Patches
    • Weapon Cleaning Kit
    • Backup Comlink
    • Signal Flares and Market Beacons
    • Spare Power Cells
  • Supplementary Systems
    
    • Repulsor-Assist System
    • Camofibre Coating
    • FAE/U-02 "Eleleth" Ultralight Propulsion System
    • Energy Shield
      
      • Phase III "Force Avenger" Energy Shield
• FAE/W-18 Medium Tri-Mode Blaster Cannon
  
  • Attachments
    
    • 1-5x FAE/S-08 Electro-Sight
  • Ammunition
    
    • FAE/AM-01-S5 Energy Weapon Cartridge - Ethaerium Gas and CryoBan Coolant (4)
• BG-D 6 Outlaw
  
  • Ammunition
    
    • Slug Magazine (4)
• Ion Slicer Vibroknife
• FAE/MDE-01-S2 Semiautonomous Seeker Thermal Explosive (4)
• Infrared Smoke Grenade (2)
• VKA-7J “Hurricane” Combat Stimulant (7)
• BWE Healing Capsules (4)
• BWE Soldier Survival Solution (2)

 

[Lothar Braeyek]

​

Augustus Tassar | Ash Cobalt | Jessica Bowers | QV-611

The order came across the comms as the streets lit up in flashes and blotches of red.

Lothar raised his hand,
"All guns, Fire."

The three AT-AAWs opened up almost as one. A heavy, concussive THOOM-THOOM-THOOM
Twin laser cannons hammered down the streets and buildings as streams of red fire tore into the advancing creatures. The first ranks of the Maelibi & Marskha were thrown into confusion, some breaking for cover while others simply blew up or disappeared beneath the concentrated barrage. The walkers advanced only enough to maintain their firing lanes, heavy feet grinding over the pavement. Their guns swept methodically across the approaches from the pit, forcing the creatures away from the Imperial line and back toward the streets from which they had emerged.

As loud as it was outside, Keeves watched the scopes from the inside of the cockpit, the battle became a dull cacophony of thuds and cracks as it seemed notably quiet from within.. He made small corrections to the aim of the AT-AAW as he remarked to Lothar Braeyek .

"Quite a reception sir."

Lothar kept his eyes forward,
"Indeed it is Mr Keeves, we are merely showing them out, tut-tut-tut.." He shooed his hand away in the air as if brushing away a bug.

Another volley thundered out from the cockpit as the cannon fire lit both mens faces. THOOM-THOOM-THOOM

The effect was immediate. Whatever order the creatures had possessed was rapidly being stripped away beneath the relentless fire of
Lothar Braeyek s 102nd Imperial Armoured Regiment, Augustus Tassar with the 181st Legion Stormtroopers, Jessica Bowers s Inferno Squadron along with Ash Cobalt and his Vanguard and now QV-611 's cyan blaster-cannon fire visible from the barrage.

The grand might of the Empire was made manifest in that moment, much to Lothar's liking.

 

[Marlon Sularen]

---

A S H_R O C K_A N D_S T E E L
Objective I - Performance Review

MAHPOREEM IMPERIAL REMNANT
COPHRIGIN V, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

---

Spoiler: Wraith Squadron

WRAITH SQUADRON
Main Fleet : INV Triumphant INV Dominion INV Subjugator INV Vanguard INV Bulwark INV Malevolence INV Harbinger
Starfighter Complement: TIE/ss Supremacies [21 Squadrons] TIE/DI Disruptors [24 Squadrons] TIE/AN Annihilators [14 Squadrons] GAT-50 Imperial Blastboats [10 Squadrons]

As soon as he entered his capsule, Sularen quickly got to work. As soon as the virtual battlefield was loaded, the Supreme Commander began quickly selecting the ships that would be a part of his initial strike force: one Battlecruiser, four Light Battlecarriers, and two Star Destroyers. A simple formation that was the ultimate representation of his Battlecarrier Doctrine he had developed all those years ago during the early stages of the Third Imperial Civil War. Fleets centered around large Battlecarriers with an emphasis on firepower, durability, and starfighter supremacy.

Once he selected all his ships, Sularen then took some time to examine the forces he had at his disposal: seven capital ships and sixty-nine starfighter squadrons. Even though he still had zero idea of the force his enemy would bring to bear, the Supreme Commander remained confident that he possessed the sufficient firepower, ship durability, and starfighter count to guarantee his victory. Thus, he began to arrange his ships into a tight naval formation before finally pressing the DEPLOY button to throw them into the battlefield

​

One by one, the warships of Sularen's strike force, now designated Wraith Squadron, emerged from hyperspace at the edge of Florrum's gravity well. Further ahead, on the other side of the battlefield, was the enemy fleet, a far lighter force than Sularen's own, consisting of only one Battlecruiser, three Star Destroyers, five carriers, and five frigates, all of them blocking his path to the hypergate. Their total starfighter complement remained unknown to Sularen, but from all available data, the enemy had somewhere between forty-five and sixty starfighter squadrons, meaning he still held a good advantage. Overall, the odds appeared to be in his favor, although Sularen needed to ensure that he retained the upper hand.

Already, Commodore Yorwell had sent a small group of reconnaissance ships and starfighters ahead of his main fleet to either scout out Sularen's own forces or try to bait him into a move. Sularen's response? His own group of 2 Squadrons of TIE Supremacies and Disruptors each, who were deployed from across his fleet to intercept Yorwell's scouting force and test how the Commodore would respond in kind.

Meanwhile, Sularen's fleet kept its distance from Yorwell and Sigismund's fleets, remaining at their initial position at the edge of Florrum's gravity well to ensure that both fleets would remain outside of each other's range. At that point, his opponents had two options: either advance against him with their ships or try to grind him down by throwing their starfighters against Sularen's own. As long as Sularen could control and dictate their movements, he would remain one step ahead of them, thus guaranteeing his own victory.

Spoiler: TL;DR

• Wraith Squadron arrives in the Florrum and maintains position at the edge of Florrum's gravity well​
• 2 Squadrons of TIE Supremacies and 2 Squadrons of TIE Disruptors are sent to intercept the Lambda Scouts and STX-TIEs sent by Yorwell.​

---

Tags | Victport Graras | R'ayne Asara | The Lord of Hunger | Aurelian of Vandemar | Felix Yorwell​

 

[Shae'ri Mor]

That's...a Lot of Moons

Equipment • Junkyard Saber {Borrowed}
NPCs: x2 Battalions of Imperial Stormtroopers
Interaction{s} • Erve Kozzit

Shae’ri gave Erve a sideways glance, her pale lekku shifting almost imperceptibly beneath the harsh illumination of the passage. There was no offense in her expression, only the cold, measured scrutiny of someone deciding whether a remark deserved an answer.

“Most Twi’leks,” she said quietly, "haven't endured the life I have.” Her hand remained near the hilt of her lightsaber as she tapped it once to draw attention to her pale hand. “I've had to learn to live differently than my kin, and not just among them.” She cast Erve another brief look. “As for the sensible things, I prefer surviving my mistakes long enough to learn from them.”

The faintest trace of amusement touched her voice. “If that unsettles you, Erve, you may consider it in terms of a tactical advantage.” Then she faced forward again, eyes fixed upon the darkness. “And if something does jump out, I suggest you hit it hard enough that it regrets having evolved.”

Shae'ri advanced several more meters before the tunnels fell unnaturally quiet. Then came a sound from ahead, scrrrrk...scrrrrk metal or claws dragging slowly across stone somewhere beyond the reach of their lights, followed by hypnotic singing.

Shae’ri stopped instantly, every instinct sharpening, her head turning toward the sound. Before anyone could speak, a stormtrooper behind them gave a strangled scream.

White armor scraped violently across the floor as something seized him and dragged him backward into the darkness. His blaster clattered once against the stone wall. Then silence.

Shae’ri spun, her lightsaber igniting with a violent snap-hiss, its blade casting stark light across the confused armored figures behind her.

She lowered into a combat stance, eyes fixed upon the blackness where the trooper had vanished. A grim edge entered her voice. “Erve.” She glanced toward her companion. “Here’s your chance to hit something.”​

 

[Erve Kozzit]

Location: The Boneyard, Iego
Objective: Investigate signs of previous scavengers within Iego's Boneyard and discover what they found before they disappeared.
Tags: Shae'ri Mor

Erve's crooked grin remained as Shae'ri answered her observation about Twi'leks. Then slowly disappeared. Most Twi'leks haven't endured the life I have. Erve's eyes followed Shae'ri's gesture toward her pale hand. "Oh." That was considerably heavier than what Erve had meant.

Truthfully, most of the Twi'leks Erve had met had been dancers in clubs, cantinas, and whatever other establishments a younger Erve had wandered into with credits in her pocket and questionable plans for how to spend them. They'd generally been friendly, attractive, and considerably less likely to lead two battalions of stormtroopers into a hole beneath a graveyard filled with gigantic bones. Somehow, admitting that now seemed like a bad idea.

"Wasn't exactly what I meant." Erve scratched briefly at the back of her neck. "But, uh..." She stopped. There had been struggles in Erve's own life. Plenty of them. The problem was that an uncomfortable number had been voluntarily inflicted upon herself. There was a difference between surviving circumstances forced upon you and seeing something dangerous, stupid, or inadvisable and deciding it sounded like fun.

Erve suspected Shae'ri had just revealed something important. She also suspected she was spectacularly unqualified to respond to it tactfully. Fortunately, Shae'ri provided an escape. If something does jump out, I suggest you hit it hard enough that it regrets having evolved.

Erve's grin immediately returned. "Now that I can do." She liked Shae'ri. Erve decided that rather definitively as they continued deeper. The Twi'lek could do the thinking. Erve would do the hitting.

In general terms, anyway. Erve wasn't stupid, and Shae'ri clearly wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty. But there was something appealing about the arrangement. Shae'ri could determine whether something needed to be smashed, and Erve could concern herself with the finer details of how hard.

The passage narrowed around them as they continued after the disturbed trail. Erve's scanner remained in one hand, her heavy saber comfortably within reach of the other. Ahead, the stormtroopers advanced cautiously. Then—

Scrrrrk. Erve stopped. Scrrrrk. Her hand immediately closed around her saber. Metal? Claws? Something dragged slowly across stone beyond their lights. Then came the singing. Erve's expression twisted. "What the—"

Every instinct she possessed told her to ignite the weapon. She didn't. Barely. Shae'ri hadn't drawn hers yet. The troopers hadn't found a target. Lighting a bright blade in a dark tunnel was a fantastic way of announcing exactly where you were to something that already knew the terrain better than you did. So Erve waited. Her thumb rested against the activation switch.

Scrrrrk. The sound seemed to crawl through the tunnel. Erve's jaw tightened. "Come on..." A scream erupted behind them. Erve spun. White armor slammed against the ground. One of the stormtroopers disappeared backward with such violence that for a fraction of a second Erve could only register pieces of it—the trooper's hands clawing at the ground, boots scraping desperately across stone, his rifle falling away. Then darkness swallowed him.

Shae'ri's saber ignited. Erve's came alive almost with it. SNAP-HISS. The heavy blade flooded the passage with light as Erve stepped forward, her previous restraint evaporating instantly. Shae'ri glanced toward her. Here's your chance to hit something. Erve looked at her.

For one brief moment, absolute delight broke through the tension. "See?" She shifted her saber into both hands. "Knew I liked you."

Then Erve ran. There was no cautious advance now. No studying scratches. No scanner. She clipped the device back onto her belt without breaking stride and charged into the darkness where the stormtrooper had disappeared. Her saber became both weapon and torch, its glow throwing wild shadows across ancient supports and corroded metal as her boots hammered against the passage floor.

"HEY!" If the thing wanted prey, Erve was going to give it something considerably less cooperative. Her eyes searched for white armor. Movement. Blood. Anything.

Behind her, the others could provide discipline, tactics, and sensible decision-making. Erve had finally been given permission to be the hammer. And somewhere ahead was a nail.

 

[Sae]

---

---

Tags: Illithor Du'thra | The Lord of Hunger | R'ayne Asara | Zesiro | Victport Graras | Percival Bridger | Prystill Oasay

---

"I understand... It seems these endeavors are not without their challenges. That being said, I believe your cause is one worth supporting, and I stand ready to fully back your efforts. This 'King Veruna' of yours seems like a good man to start with. What is it that you would need from our end?"

Sae considered the question for a moment. She studied the Unity Charter as it continued to dance up-and-down on the monitor screen in front of her. There were many things that someone like Sae wanted. Every politician who enters into this world is fooling themselves if they did not have type of ulterior motive bordering on self-gain and interest. That was how you played the game. You give and then you take. It was like a twisted trade. But how would Sae twist all of this to benefit her?

"As you can both see today they did not send anyone to hear you out," Sae told Graras and L.O.H. "I am the only one who came to listen and to meet you. If you want to talk to the Republic then you will have to go to them. It should be a a diplomatic mission with an objective to create channels between Mahporeem and Naboo to negotiate a relationship."

Sae turned her gaze back to Graras. "These diplomats should request to meet with King Veruna and a woman called Sibylla Abrantes. It should be a discreet meeting. Before you ever meet the High Chancellor you should be on a good side of the people who have the biggest voting bloc in Theed."

"Abrantes is the Ambassador to the Mandalorian Empire," Sae continued to say as she outlined her advice. "From what I know she is very close to the King. Including her in the conversation would be a way of appeasing him and besides that I think he would tell her about what you had to say. You will want to make Veruna feel important and happy in the conversation. He will want to feel like he is in control of setting up diplomatic channels between Mahporeem and the High Republic. Making an alliance with Naboo first is an important first-step."

---

 

[Augustus Tassar]

STATUS	Strike Force Lions of the New Order	Defending - Moon 33/V "Tristram"​
IMPFOR	Lothar Braeyek Ash Cobalt Jessica Bowers Ronhar Tane Open	"Lion-Actual", Post V​
OPFOR	Maelibi, Marskha, THAT

The line was holding, barely. The 181st was pressed hard as the red and golden skinned demons descended upon them. Vicious brawls and brutal close combat was always a tough battle, even for soldiers that had seen some campaigns like the 181st. Blades slashed, blasters fired point blank, grenade explosions deafened. The war was on them.

And Augustus was in the middle of it.

His weapon moved so swiftly that it was only a blue hue hissing through the air before it cut and stroke again, dismembering the red skinned beasts and destroying the tough skinned demons of Iego. A golden whirlwind as he moved with a graceful elegance that was more a dance than a fight, yet it wasted no movement, no energy, it was practical, efficient and absolutely lethal.

"102nd and 181st, advance! Target the pit, Inferno protects the walkers. Cobalt and vanguard, prepare charges to seal the pit, collapse a building onto it if necessary."

Even in the midst of combat, his voice was calm and measured and only a hint of increased breathing could be heard from the gene-engineered soldier.

His thoughts were with the reason of this though. But investigations would come afterwards, for now they had to win this battle and fortify Tristram. Only then they would move ahead to get to the bottom of this, quite literally. This smelled of fouler, abominable machinations.